Theory of relativity question.
So this question came up at lunch and I cant wrap my brain around it, would like some input.
2 supersonic jets leave the earth from london traveling different directions around the earth and then land back in london. Upon landing, it's determined that the 3 atomic clocks are all at different times. There is one in london and one on each plane.
Why would the clocks on the planes be different?
So the closer you travel towards the speed of light, the slower time goes. Ok I understand that. But the part I dont understand is that the plane going against the rotation of the earth is somehow going faster? It seems to me that since the earth is rotating "underneath" the plane, the planes are traveling at the same speed but the planes travel different distances.
So even though they left from the same place and landed the same place. So did the planes go at different speeds or different distances?
Lets say they (planes) are both traveling 1000/mph and for simplicity's sake the earth is spinning at 500/mph. So plane "A" traveling with with the earth is only covering 500/mph (1000 - 500) and plane "B" has the earth rotating under it making it's speed 1500/mph. But my premise is that both planes are going the same speed, the earths rotation is making the distance longer. So one plane is spending more time going fast giving the descrepancy.
Of course I was shot down because the distance from london around the earth can be measured. And was explained that even though both planes register 1000/mph, they really are going faster based on the point of the observer.
So can anyone into physics please explain this to me? "Pretend" i'm an idiot and use small words. It is Monday.
:roflol:
Re: Theory of relativity question.
Quote:
Originally Posted by deathcricket
And was explained that even though both planes register 1000/mph, they really are going faster based on the point of the observer.
This is also the point. Even though both jets have the same speedometer reading, it's the viewpoint of the observer standing in London, if it were possible.
He sees the jets traveling at two different speeds, and it's his clock that we're using as the example. The two jets will feel no different in terms of time, even if it were much more of a gap. Time is relative.
Re: Theory of relativity question.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sombeech
He sees the jets traveling at two different speeds, and it's his clock that we're using as the example. The two jets will feel no different in terms of time, even if it were much more of a gap. Time is relative.
Right, I fully comprehend the jets atomic clocks not matching london's, thats cool. But what I have trouble grasping is why the jets clocks would not match each others.
I guess my thought is since they are traveling at the same speed /mph, time should be the same for them. But one technically traveled a different distance and spent a longer period at high velocity. But is it really a different distance if each plane took the same path only the opposite direction?
:ne_nau:
P.S. Iceaxe, it depends on the toy inside!
Re: Theory of relativity question.
Quote:
Originally Posted by deathcricket
But what I have trouble grasping is why the jets clocks would not match each others.
If the earth were standing still and they both flew separate ways, their clocks would be the same. But since the earth is rotating one way, one clock will be later than the other.
They'll both cover the same earth miles, but not the same "air" miles.
Say the earth is rotating the 500 MPH, the westbound jet may actually only have to rotate 25% around the earth in orbit, because the earth does most of the work by rotating. The eastbound jet would have to fly say 175% around the orbit of earth, because it's following the spin.
The earth speed is the same, but the space speed is very different. And time & speed are all relative.
It's like picking a blade on a slow turning fan. From that blade, circle forward all the way around to that same blade. With the rotation, you'd have to go faster than the rotating fan to eventually catch up. Against the rotation, you could go slow, or not move at all until that blade caught up. So if you were using your finger to point, it would move at two different speeds on each direction.