Related papers: Time dilation and Langevin paradox
The special theory of relativity teaches us that, although distinct inertial frames perceive the same dynamical laws, space and time intervals differ in value. We revisit the problem of time contraction using the paradigmatic model of a…
In this work we show that the null result of the Michelson-Morley experiment in vacuum is deeply connected with the notion of time. It can be deduced without any mathematics only from the assumption that all good clocks can be used to…
The special theory of relativity is the foundation of modern physics, but its unusual postulate of invariant vacuum speed of light results in a number of plausible paradoxes. This situation leads to radical criticisms and suspicions against…
Solving special relativity paradoxes requires rigorous analysis of event timing, due to relative simultaneity in consequence of the Lorentz transformation. Since clock synchronisation is a convention in special theory of relativity, instead…
The physical mechanism of phenomenon is explained as a result of inequality of forward and reversed processes in optics. The importance of experimental study of its invariance relation is discussed.
This tutorial, addressing physics teachers and undergraduate students, aims at clarifying some aspects of time in special relativity. In particular, time dilation is usually presented only as the well-known ratio of lab time over proper…
Space-like and time-like invariant space-time intervals are used to analyse measurements of spatial and temporal distances. The former are found to be Lorentz invariant --there is no `relativistic length contraction', whereas the latter…
The quantization of time-reparametrization invariant systems such as general relativity is plagued by an ambiguity relating to the role of time in the theory. If one parametrizes observables by the (unobservable) time, and then relies on…
Much work has been done after the possibility of a fine structure constant being time-varying. It has been taken as an indication of a time-varying speed of light. Here we prove that this is not the case. We prove that the speed of light…
It is often argued that superluminal velocities and nontrivial spacetime topologies, allowed by the theory of relativity, may lead to causal paradoxes. By emphasizing that the notion of causality assumes the existence of a time arrow (TA)…
Quantum theory and relativity offer different conceptions of time. To explore the conflict between them, we study a quantum version of the light-clock commonly used to illustrate relativistic time dilation. This semiclassical model combines…
An in-depth and mathematically-detailed analysis of Langevin's popular 1911 article on the special theory of relativity is presented. For the reader's convenience, English translations of large parts of the original French text are given.…
Though many experiments appear to have confirmed the light speed invariance postulate of special relativity theory, this postulate is actually unverified. This paper resolves this issue by first showing the manner in which an illusion of…
An interpretation of the inertial mass increase due to an object's velocity which is derived from the theory of special relativity is discussed. A Lorentz transformation of the reference time causes the inertial mass increase. It is assumed…
We consider the twin paradox of special relativity in a universe with a compact spatial dimension. Such topology allows two twin observers to remain inertial yet meet periodically. The paradox is resolved by considering the relationship of…
We reexamined the gravitational time delay of light, allowing for various models of modified gravity. We clarify the dependence of the time delay (and induced frequency shift) on modified gravity models and investigate how to distinguish…
It is rarely emphasized in modern physics textbooks that our definitions of space and time have to reflect their complete interdependence. Our intuitive methods of always picturing one-dimensional space as a sum of unit-length rods and of…
We consider gravitational time dilation between stationary observers and present examples, which contradict the statement that "time slows down as gravity increases". We show furthermore that this statement cannot be true in general, if…
A careful look at an allegedly well-known century-old concept reveals interesting aspects in it that have generally avoided recognition in literature. There are four different kinds of physical observables known or proclaimed as…
The famous twin paradox of the Special Theory of Relativity by Einstein (1905) is revisited and revised. This paradox is not a paradox in the true sense of a paradox but a reflection of a misunderstanding of the problem and the Principle of…