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Charlie K Trout
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- TL;DR Summary
- Could there be issues with our current understanding of special relativity? With a constant speed of light, does that allow for both time dilation and length contraction at high speeds, or could only one of these be occurring? What alternative interpretations of special relativity have you come across?
A few years ago, a nuclear engineering professor explained to the class that the widely accepted theory between the relationship between space, time, and velocity may be wrong. At the time, I didn't think much about it since he had a lot of out-there beliefs and he seemed to be a bit of a contrarian. However, I still feel the need to explore some possible "alternative interpretations" to what might be going on in reality.
Lately, I've been wondering how we can concretely say that both time dilates and length contracts as velocity increases. Assuming the traditional definition of velocity (v=dx/dt), if length contracts as velocity increases, that would explain how an object can move through space as though time has slowed relative to the observer. On the other hand, if time slows as velocity increases, it could appear to an observer as though space has contracted around the object. For one to be true, the other doesn't necessarily have to be true as well. A constant speed of light, c, can be explained by dx approaching 0 or dt approaching infinity. So, could it be possible that either time or space is constant?
What other "alternative interpretations" to special relativity have you folks come across in the world of physics? How can you determine the validity of those interpretations?
Side note: I know there is the famous atomic clock on a satellite experiment, but I'm trying to look at this from a more conceptual/theoretical perspective. Plus, my contrarian professor suggested that the subtle differences in measured time may be due to various kinds of interference involved in the experimental setup, and I don't know enough about the experiment to validate or invalidate this claim.
Lately, I've been wondering how we can concretely say that both time dilates and length contracts as velocity increases. Assuming the traditional definition of velocity (v=dx/dt), if length contracts as velocity increases, that would explain how an object can move through space as though time has slowed relative to the observer. On the other hand, if time slows as velocity increases, it could appear to an observer as though space has contracted around the object. For one to be true, the other doesn't necessarily have to be true as well. A constant speed of light, c, can be explained by dx approaching 0 or dt approaching infinity. So, could it be possible that either time or space is constant?
What other "alternative interpretations" to special relativity have you folks come across in the world of physics? How can you determine the validity of those interpretations?
Side note: I know there is the famous atomic clock on a satellite experiment, but I'm trying to look at this from a more conceptual/theoretical perspective. Plus, my contrarian professor suggested that the subtle differences in measured time may be due to various kinds of interference involved in the experimental setup, and I don't know enough about the experiment to validate or invalidate this claim.