Understanding Time Dilation
Posted on October 31, 2023
Time dilation is a concept that emerges from Einstein's theory of special relativity. It describes how time passes at different rates for observers in different states of motion. This phenomenon is most famously illustrated by the scenario of a spaceship traveling close to the speed of light. To the astronauts aboard the ship, time appears to pass normally, but to an observer on Earth, the clock on the ship ticks more slowly.
Mathematically, time dilation can be described by the equation:
Δt' = Δt / √(1 - v²/c²)
Where:
- Δt' = time interval measured by the moving observer
- Δt = time interval measured by the stationary observer
- v = velocity of the moving observer
- c = speed of light
This effect has been confirmed through various experiments, including those involving particles moving at high speeds and precise atomic clocks flown in aircraft.