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Geek Culture / Relativity Theory

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Dave J
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Posted: 3rd Apr 2004 07:13
We just started doing relativity in Physics class, man, what a mind bender, has anyone else studied this? Basically it's Einstein's theory of relativity and unlike how Newton thought time was always the same, no matter who it is or where you are, time and space actually dilutes for each person. This is the theory behind the original Planet of The Apes, they're going so fast that everyone around them ages while they stay the same.

Basically it involves that if you're going close to the speed of light in a spaceship (you can't go at or faster then the speed of light, you'd need an infinite mass so it's impossible) then relative to someone stationary outside the spaceship, you're actually aging and moving slower then them. So for instance, if you travel for 5 seconds then perhaps it might have been 10 minutes for them. This is what brings rise to the Twins Paradox. If you were 20 years old and had an identicle twin and you left in a spaceship and came back 2 years later, your twin may be 80 years old while you're still only 22. Crazy, isn't it?

What's even crazier is that the space around you stretches and shrinks as well, so again, if you're going close to the speed of light then someone looking at you would see your ship really compressed, ie, if it was normally 10m long, they may see it as 7m instead. Likewise, if you looked outside then you would see them as really thin rather then their normal size. One thing to note about this though is that it's only stretched in the direction you're heading, so for instance, in the previous example I'm assuming we're travelling sideways to someone (like a car would), so that way they get thinner but their height and depth remains the same.

This is really strange but apparently this theory is supposed to be correct and that it actually happens in real life. It's quite hard to comprehend when you think about it. Basically two people look at their watches, one's going close to the speed of light, individually each person sees their watch going normally and correctly but if you both look at the other person's watch then they will look as if they're going slow. Weird.

Anyway, has anyone else studied this kind of thing and do they think it's correct and that this really happens? I find it all quite interesting despite how mentally challenging it is lol.


P.S. This is my 3000th post exactly, I spend way too much time here.


"Computers are useless they can only give you answers."
indi
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Posted: 3rd Apr 2004 10:49
singularities in black holes are trippy little things hey.


fall down seven times, stand up eight
Teh Go0rfmeister
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Posted: 3rd Apr 2004 11:12
here; try NASA's new anti aging formula.

http://www.tinnedhead.tk under re-construction.
Damokles
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Posted: 3rd Apr 2004 11:30 Edited at: 3rd Apr 2004 11:31
I studied it three years ago, but it's not considered as beeing the correct theory. It's considered as a theory that can explain some things that happen among some other theories.
By the way, we had two relativity theories :
"Relativité restreinte"
and "Relativité générale"

- Stand clear of the closing doors -
Pincho Paxton
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Posted: 3rd Apr 2004 17:31
I've studied it quite a lot. I'm always spending my time on science sites. Time works differently for each person, and has been proved by testing clocks in planes that travel really fast. The clocks show the wrong time. It's not easy to believe though, even with the evidence. I sometimes wonder if there is another explenation. Maybe something happens to the clocks.

Pincho.

MicroMan
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Posted: 3rd Apr 2004 17:48
Mouahahaha!

Just wait till you get to the chapters about the quantum.

Einstein's theory only goes so far to explain things on a macro scale, but those theories work less well on the atomic scale, if I remember correctly. The quantum allows for a particle to exist at two positions, at the same time. Then you have strings, branes, 11 dimensions, and so on.



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Dave J
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Posted: 4th Apr 2004 04:23
Quote: "Time works differently for each person, and has been proved by testing clocks in planes that travel really fast. The clocks show the wrong time. "


Yeah, I heard that as well. Although I wasn't sure if it had actually been tested or if it was just hypothetical. Interesting to hear that it actually has been proven though.


Quote: "The quantum allows for a particle to exist at two positions, at the same time. Then you have strings, branes, 11 dimensions, and so on."


Ahhh! I'd rather not think about that. lol.


"Computers are useless they can only give you answers."
IanM
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Posted: 4th Apr 2004 14:32
Practical proof : http://www.physlink.com/Education/AskExperts/ae433.cfm

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flibX0r
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Posted: 4th Apr 2004 15:29 Edited at: 4th Apr 2004 15:32
http://superstringtheory.com

thats some fun stuff.

Quote: "The quantum allows for a particle to exist at two positions, at the same time. Then you have strings, branes, 11 dimensions, and so on."


Even worse, in quantum theory, an object exists as ALL objects until it is measured (looked at).

And then there is entangled particles. Mind blowing stuff. Basically, they are a pair of particles that are somehow linked so that whatever happens to one, happens to the other. This basically means that if we can establish them far away from each other, we may just reach the point of instant communication. The speed of light would no longer be a limiting factor. Trippy.

I think i have to go lie down

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Pincho Paxton
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Posted: 4th Apr 2004 15:37
Yay instant computer gates.

flibX0r
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Posted: 4th Apr 2004 15:52
@Pincho

more like: yay! instant internet connection!

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Teh Go0rfmeister
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Posted: 5th Apr 2004 14:15
Quote: "proved by testing clocks in planes that travel really fast."


cant you put it down to G-forces etc affecting the clockwork? to hell with that "proof"

(j/k)

i read in Focus Magazine that travelling on an express train for a whole day only puts you back a nanosecond... or somethin like that.

http://www.tinnedhead.tk under re-construction.
MicroMan
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Posted: 6th Apr 2004 06:42
Quote: "Even worse, in quantum theory, an object exists as ALL objects until it is measured (looked at)."


Which should mean that my PC is really the NSA-basement supercomputer until I look at it. Or it's really a VIC-20. Feels like that, sometimes.

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Night Giant
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Posted: 6th Apr 2004 08:13
good book (pincho actually recommended this a while ago, 'tis why i picked it up): schrodinger's cats, or for easier reading schrodinger's kittens. also, check out the movie mindwalk, some weird stuff in there about light and natural systems, excellent thinking movie. most of it was way over my head but still, some great ideas and discussion topics in there.

that thing about the particles existing in two places at once, that's also in schrodinger's cat. it's something about a particle being everywhere at the same time until it is observed, or that it could be anywhere. i think it's called probability waves. really trippy stuff.

we did some of that stuff in ap physics. it was weird. my teacher says there is this theory that everything in the universe is expanding due to the universe itself expanding. iirc it has to do with the speed of light having to remain constant. but we don't notice it because we are expanding too, and so are our measuring devices. his analogy was he held up a ruler and said "this is a 12 in. ruler." then he puts it behind his back and brings out a meter stick and says "now this is a 12 in. ruler". it's bizarre stuff.

oh, wow. insignificantpunks.cjb.net. we like orange treble clef notes, just for future reference.

no: website for progs yet.
Lynx
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Posted: 6th Apr 2004 09:07
@ Exeat - I really suggest you read the "Ender's Game" series, it has a lot to do with relativity, and I think you would be interested in it.

Not to spoil it or anything, but a guy named Ender travels from planet to planet, travelling at close to light speed. When only 8 days pass for him, 20 years have passed for everyone else.

Dave J
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Posted: 6th Apr 2004 13:36
Ahh, I'm going to have to read some of those books and things, we've only just started the topic but from what I can tell, it looks like there's a lot more to it then what we've done. Thanks for the recommendations everybody.

First I've heard of everything expanding though, that's weird and would be very hard to prove. o_O


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Shadow
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Posted: 6th Apr 2004 13:46
Yeah, I learnt a bit of theory of relativity in school. Can't say it's correct though, as it only deals with large scale, and quantum mechanics must be used for small scale. A theory that dealt with everything (ToE or GUT) could be considered correct.
Wik
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Posted: 7th Apr 2004 01:49
Quote: "@ Exeat - I really suggest you read the "Ender's Game" series,"


Great books. I was gonna mention them too.


MiR
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Posted: 7th Apr 2004 20:26
Has anyone here read "Quantum electro dynamics"? (No idea if that´s it´s real title as the version I read was in Spanish). It explains quite a few things in non sientific terms using little arrows.

Libera tu mente y te liberaras a ti.

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