speed of light / time
Discussion
Can anybody explain about the speed of light and time? As I understand it as you get closer to the speed of light, time slows down, but is it your speed relative to the light source that matters? The sun is moving relative to our galaxy and our galaxy is moving relative to other galaxies so, for us, is the speed of light relative to the sun? Does this effect our perception of time relative to any, hypothetical, alien species orbiting a different star that is moving away from our Sun?
time never slows down or speeds up. neither does the speed of light. however, if you were moving at the speed of light and were able to look back on those moving at a normal speed they would seem to be moving very quickly, relativley speaking, as if time had been speeded up. and vice versa, if they could see you, you would appear to be moving very slowly, relative to them. hence, relativity.
>> Edited by nervous on Friday 10th February 17:18
>> Edited by nervous on Friday 10th February 17:18
nervous said:
I always thought if you travelled at the speed of light everything else would appear static...
Though my source isn't very trustworthy.
no, just very slow.
Sure slow, but you said they would appear to be moving quickly.
Which one, I must have the correct facts or there's a chance i could implode (relatively speaking)
wowbagger t.i.p said:
Speed of light is constant for all reference frames. For any given reference frame an observation of something moving relative to that frame will display time dilation (passing more slowly).
Its the reason magnets exist.
Dammit! Assume that your observation point defines your reference frame. That is, as far as you are concerned you are stationary.
Then anything moving relative to you is observed by you as experiencing a slowdown in the rate of time passing compared to your rate of time passing. Clocks would appear to run slow in the observed object.
s2art said:
Speed of light is constant for all reference frames. For any given reference frame an observation of something moving relative to that frame will display time dilation (passing more slowly).
Its the reason magnets exist.
Dammit! Assume that your observation point defines your reference frame. That is, as far as you are concerned you are stationary.
Then anything moving relative to you is observed by you as experiencing a slowdown in the rate of time passing compared to your rate of time passing. Clocks would appear to run slow in the observed object.
I assume the observed object is traveling faster than the observer and therefore(to the observer) clocks would appear to run slow on it.
jezgod said:
I thought if you were on a spaceship travelling at the speed of light and you were away for say 30 years of your time, when you got back to Earth you have been away for much longer yhan the 30 years, or am i compleatly wrong as usual?
Completely right, other than the fact a spaceship cant quite fly at the speed of light, just arbitarily close to it.
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