Time dilation is a fascinating consequence of Einstein's theory of special relativity, which states that time is not experienced uniformly for all observers. According to special relativity, as an object moves closer to the speed of light, time for that object appears to pass more slowly compared to a stationary observer. This effect can be mathematically described by the formula:
where is the time interval experienced by the moving observer, is the time interval measured by the stationary observer, is the velocity of the moving observer, and is the speed of light in a vacuum.
For example, if a spaceship travels at a significant fraction of the speed of light, the crew aboard will age more slowly compared to people on Earth. This leads to the twin paradox, where one twin traveling in space returns younger than the twin who remained on Earth. Thus, time dilation highlights the relative nature of time and challenges our intuitive understanding of how time is experienced in different frames of reference.
Start your personalized study experience with acemate today. Sign up for free and find summaries and mock exams for your university.