Time dilation equation question...

Chaotic42

Lifer
Jun 15, 2001
35,319
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What are the units in? I'm just curious, as I haven't taken a proper physics course.

t=(t0)/((1-(v²/c²))^.5)

What units are these in?

Edit: Bah, I'm an idiot. (v²/c²) is just a ratio. It doesn't matter what units they are in.
 

Chaotic42

Lifer
Jun 15, 2001
35,319
2,451
126
Yeah, I forgot the square root, sorry. I got caught up in messing with something here at work. :eek:
 

Chaotic42

Lifer
Jun 15, 2001
35,319
2,451
126
Wait, let's say you're going 55 mph for 1 hour. You will age 59:59.9999999999878926458210635131 relative to someone who is stationary. However, relative to you, *they* are moving 55 mph. So shouldn't they age less compared to you?

What am I missing?
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Wait, let's say you're going 55 mph for 1 hour. You will age 59:59.9999999999878926458210635131 relative to someone who is stationary. However, relative to you, *they* are moving 55 mph. So shouldn't they age less compared to you?

What am I missing?

Or does it just negate the results?
 

Chaotic42

Lifer
Jun 15, 2001
35,319
2,451
126
Originally posted by: Eli
Or does it just negate the results?
I guess it would have to, or else time would be messed up. :)

According to the equation though, light has no time. For each second on earth, light experiences 1/0 seconds. If light has no time, what would happen to an energy based being?

 

dighn

Lifer
Aug 12, 2001
22,820
4
81
Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Wait, let's say you're going 55 mph for 1 hour. You will age 59:59.9999999999878926458210635131 relative to someone who is stationary. However, relative to you, *they* are moving 55 mph. So shouldn't they age less compared to you?

What am I missing?

i think this explains it nicely. though i'm not yet sure what happens if the ship doesn't turn around...