Does time run slower or faster in a magnetic field?

In summary, time does not run slower or faster in a magnetic field. This was confirmed by Einstein's Theory of Relativity, which states that only motion and gravitational fields affect the rate of time. However, since energy and matter are related, a strong magnetic field can indirectly affect the passage of time. There have been theories about a unified field that combines gravity with other forces, but none have been proven yet. The Kerr-Newman metric describes the gravitational field around a rotating charged object and may have some insights on the topic.
  • #1
LitleBang
64
0
Does time run slower or faster in a magnetic field?
 
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  • #2
No. Why should it ?
 
  • #3
BvU said:
No. Why should it ?
It was just a question. BTW, how do you know this?
 
  • #4
No reason. It was just a thought. BTW, how do you know this to be fact?
 
  • #5
Look into Einstein's Relativity theory(s). Motion and gravitational fields affect the rate as compared between different observers. That's it.
 
  • #6
russ_watters said:
Look into Einstein's Relativity theory(s). Motion and gravitational fields affect the rate as compared between different observers. That's it.
I know a gravitational field does but how does that apply to magnetic fields?
 
  • #7
LitleBang said:
I know a gravitational field does but how does that apply to magnetic fields?
It doesn't. "That's it" means those are the only two things that affect the rate of the passage of time.

[edit]
Perhaps a little more detail:

People have been studying (successfully) how time works for about a hundred years. It was discovered to be dimension somewhat similar to length. And gravity is a manifestation of a curving/bending of those dimensions. Magnetism doesn't do that.

There is a caveat to that, though. Since matter and energy are related/proportional to each other, anything that has energy gravitates. So in that way a strong field can affect time, indirectly.
 
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Likes BvU
  • #8
Wonder if anyone has ever tested time in a magnetic field?
 
  • #9
LitleBang said:
Wonder if anyone has ever tested time in a magnetic field?
I'm not sure if it has been tested directly. Unfortunately, failed ideas often get somewhat lost/harder to find how they were tested.
 
  • #10
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  • #11
There are some interesting answers here.
http://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/100279/does-strong-magnetic-field-cause-time-dilation

According to general relativity. it would seem that any field with energy, stress, pressure, etc, can affect the passage of coordinate time; Proper time, that which you measure locally, remains unchanged. Your own wristwatch continues to tick at its normal steady, fixed pace. Hence coordinate clocks should run a smidgen slower in sunlight than in dark...way too small to be measured I would think...How about in the vicinity of a hugely strong permanent magnet?
 
  • #12
Aren't there some unified field theories that unite the gravity, electro-weak, and strong nuclear forces?

One of those theories might be able to make a prediction pertaining to the O.P.s question. I doubt I would understand the answer, but some here might. If someone here knows those theories well enough to dumb it down for us laymen, I would be interested / greatfull for the insight.
 
  • #13
mrspeedybob said:
Aren't there some unified field theories that unite the gravity, electro-weak, and strong nuclear forces?

good thought, but not yet:

"... a theoretical framework revealing a deeper underlying reality, unifying gravity with the other three interactions, must be discovered to harmoniously integrate the realms of GR and QFT into a seamless whole: a single theory that, in principle, is capable of describing all phenomena. In pursuit of this goal, quantum gravity has recently become an area of active research.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_everything
 
  • #14
Since we have been trying to understand gravity's mechanism for more than 200 years maybe it is a function of some other phenomena like the warping of time due to mass instead of the warping of time due to gravity?
 
  • #15
Closed for moderation

Edit: this will remain closed. I recommend to study in depth the metric mentioned in post 11. That (and the theory behind it) really say everything that is known about the topic.
 
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Related to Does time run slower or faster in a magnetic field?

1. Does time really slow down in a magnetic field?

Yes, according to the theory of relativity, time slows down in a strong magnetic field. This phenomenon is known as time dilation.

2. How does a magnetic field affect time?

A magnetic field creates a distortion in space-time, causing time to slow down for an observer within the field. This is due to the fact that a magnetic field affects the curvature of space-time.

3. Is there a specific strength of magnetic field that affects time?

Yes, the strength of the magnetic field plays a significant role in how much time is affected. The stronger the field, the greater the distortion in space-time and the slower time will run.

4. Can the effects of time dilation in a magnetic field be observed?

Yes, the effects of time dilation in a magnetic field have been observed in experiments, such as the Hafele-Keating experiment, which showed that atomic clocks on airplanes run at slightly different rates due to the difference in magnetic fields at different altitudes.

5. Does the direction of the magnetic field affect time dilation?

Yes, the direction of the magnetic field can also impact time dilation. This is because the distortion of space-time is dependent on the orientation and strength of the magnetic field.

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