Related papers: The Equivalence Principle as a Stepping Stone from…
The theory of relativity associates a proper time with each moving object via its world line. In quantum theory however, such well-defined trajectories are forbidden. After introducing a general characterisation of quantum clocks, we…
Observers at rest in two inertial reference frames are located within the propagation space of the same electromagnetic wave. Raising receiving antennas in a suitable way, these observers use the electromagnetic oscillations in the wave as…
This article reports on an investigation of student understanding of the concept of time in special relativity. A series of research tasks are discussed that illustrate, step-by-step, how student reasoning of fundamental concepts of…
In order to respect the Principle of Relativity, the analysis of the behavior of the longitudinal light clock reveals the necessity to extend the Doppler effect also to space and time. As a consequence, the bodies in inertial motion must…
We discuss the twin paradox or the clock paradox under the small velocity approximation of special relativity. In this paper the traveller twin of the standard twin parable sets out with a non-relativistic speed for the trip leaving behind…
We present a unified treatment of the gravitational and cosmological redshift, the Doppler effect due to the moving observer or light source, and the time dilation in the gravitational field in the framework of general relativity. The…
The relation between the special relativity and quantum mechanics is discussed. Based on the postulate that space-time inversion is equavalent to particle-antiparticle transformation, the essence of special relativity is explored and the…
We highlight the correspondence between one-dimensional Lorentz transformations, which relate events observed from two distinct inertial reference frames, and ray transfer transformations in Gaussian optics. Specifically, we identify…
Every clock is a physical system and thereby ultimately quantum. A naturally arising question is how to describe time evolution relative to quantum clocks and, specifically, how the dynamics relative to different quantum clocks are related.…
We revisit the problem of the Lorentz transformation of time-intervals in special relativity. We base our discussion on the time-interval transformation formula $ c\Delta t' = \gamma (c\Delta t - \vec{\beta} \cdot \Delta \vec{r}) $ in which…
Quantum mechanics and general relativity have been each successfully tested in numerous experiments. However, the regime where both theories are jointly required to explain physical phenomena remains untested by laboratory experiments, and…
We point out that, if one accepts the view that the standard second on an atomic clock is dilated at low gravitational potential (ordinary gravitational time dilation), then the standard meter must also be dilated at low gravitational…
Clocks play a special role at the interface of general relativity and quantum mechanics. We analyze a clock-interferometry thought experiment and go on to theoretically derive and experimentally test a complementarity relation for quantum…
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…
A new explanation for space contraction and time dilation in special relativity is offered based on kinetic energy differences between observers rather than velocity differences. The classical (Newtonian) concept of projectile motion…
Using properties of the nonstandard physical world, a new fundamental derivation for all of the effects of the Special Theory of Relativity is given. This fundamental derivation removes all the contradictions and logical difficulties in the…
General relativity differs from other forces in nature in that it can be made to disappear locally. This is the essence of the equivalence principle. In general relativity the equivalence principle is implemented using differential…
While adhering to the formalism of Special and General Relativity, this paper considers the interpretation of clock rates and the rating of clocks in detail. We also pay particular attention to the crucial requirement of reciprocity between…
The gedanken experiment of the clock paradox is solved exactly using the general relativistic equations for a static homogeneous gravitational field. We demonstrate that the general and special relativistic clock paradox solutions are…
The cause for first and second order electromagnetic equivalency of inertial systems is approached from a different point of view than that of special relativity. While special relativity applies dilatation to time and contraction to space…