: : The acceleration due to the force it the difference.

: How does that make a difference?

As I said, there are a couple of ways to understand it. The simplest is in terms of special relativity's relativity of simultaneity. Each different inertial frame has its own standard for simultaneity. When you experience the push of the force accelerating you, you know that you are accelerating. The state of acceleration can be considered a series of little boosts between various inertial frames. As you transition between the frames you must constantly readjust your standard for which events in the universe are simultaneous. The clock left un-pushed is not transitioning between different inertial frames and therefor does not do this. The result is an asymmetry between what A and B experience. If you start them together synchronized and push B around until they are back together B's clock will read less time because of this. If you leave B alone and push A around until they return then A's clock will read less time. It is only when you push them around symmetrically that they read the same time when returned.

: : :If clock A is set to the exact time observed on clock B who is one light-hour away, I agree that clock B will have more time recorded then clock A. Is this not time-dialation?

This situation is very arbitrary. What coordinate frame are you using when you say they are 1 ly apart? Length is relative. Whose frame are you using when you say their times read the same? Simultaneity is relative, not absolute.

: : I thought you wanted to start the situation with them together. Starting them apart is more complicated because you have to choose a frame of reference in order to determine that they are one light year apart and set their times and when you switch to one of the clock's frames you must realize that because of the lack of simultaneity between the frames the clocks are not synchronized. Simultaneity itself is relative, not absolute. The same goes for the 1 ly distance between them.

: Well I used the second example to sho that both observers would have seen the same thing. On hour difference between the two clocks. I only hear and read about the experiment and theories going half way. If the clocks start out together and are separated then return to the same spot, I want to know how the clocks would read any different. I fell that they would read the same.

Yes they read a difference when pushed around asymmetrically. What people "feel" is irrelevant. When the experiment is actually done the results exactly match the theory of relativity.

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• Re: Absolute time - Wayne/">Wayne - December 22, 1999 - 03:28 UTC
  • Re: Absolute time - Zephram_Cochrane/">Zephram Cochrane - December 22, 1999 - 04:45 UTC
    • Re: Absolute time - rscocca - February 24, 2003 - 03:59 UTC