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? asked in Science & MathematicsPhysics · 10 years ago

Time Dilation and relative velocity, 2 girls, 3 atomic clocks?

Right, Time dilation due to velocity has been experimentally demonstrated when a airline took an atomic clock up traveled at speed and then came back down again comparing the atomic clock with one on the ground it was measurably behind the control clock.

So... Girl 1 takes her atomic clock on one plane and girl 2 takes hers on another and the control clock stays on the ground. The two planes travel away from each other at the same velocity so to the control clock both plane-bound clocks should fall behind by the same amount but to girl 1 who accepts her position as reference zero girl 2 is traveling at a greater velocity and to girl 2 who accepts her position as reference zero girl 1 is traveling at a greater velocity. Both girls should expect that when they meet to compare clocks that the other girls is behind by an amount.

when they do meet how can they both see the others clock as being behind and will a ground observer see both as being equally behind the control.

Informed answers only please I will call you an idiot if you fail to understand the question.

1 Answer

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  • Anonymous
    10 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    You're right. Because each girl has a different point of reference, the observation changes. Likewise, if there is another atomic clock that is perfectly still floating in space, the outside observer would see the "control" clock going slower than the still person's clock. It is all a matter of perspective. It's tough to process.

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