Does Travelling at Light Speed Turn the Time Cone into a Cube?

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In summary, time and distance are represented on the y-axis and x-axis respectively, and the velocity of travel determines the shape of the cone. At different velocities, the cone widens or narrows, affecting the time it takes to reach a point. At the speed of light, the cone appears as a cube encompassing all future points, with the trip taking no time from your perspective but one year from an outside observer's perspective. This phenomenon is known as length contraction and illustrates the concept of time dilation.
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kokain
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Time is on the y-axis and distance is on the x-axis and z-axis. Depending upon your velocity the cone is formed. At, let's say 1/10c, you can reach point "A" in ten years and your cone is narrow, but at 1/5c point "A" is 5 years away and the cone is wider. At 1/2c you could be at point "A" in two years and the cone is extreamly wide. Now here is my question. I see that point "A" is one year away. Correct? Now if you could and if you were traveling at c would it take you one year to reach point "A"? I see the cone at c to be a cube encompassing all volume to the future. If so, you would arrive at point "A" immediatly as you left. Where am I wrong? Is c still a cone? Is infinity(c) the cube that I see. (That's poetry) Anyway, if so it would also encompass the past as well? Now I am more confused than when I started. HELP!
 
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Originally posted by kokain
Time is on the y-axis and distance is on the x-axis and z-axis. Depending upon your velocity the cone is formed. At, let's say 1/10c, you can reach point "A" in ten years and your cone is narrow, but at 1/5c point "A" is 5 years away and the cone is wider. At 1/2c you could be at point "A" in two years and the cone is extreamly wide. Now here is my question. I see that point "A" is one year away. Correct? Now if you could and if you were traveling at c would it take you one year to reach point "A"? I see the cone at c to be a cube encompassing all volume to the future. If so, you would arrive at point "A" immediatly as you left. Where am I wrong? Is c still a cone? Is infinity(c) the cube that I see. (That's poetry) Anyway, if so it would also encompass the past as well? Now I am more confused than when I started. HELP!

If I'm visualising your chart correctly, then it looks like what you've got there is a graph of length contraction (the flip-side of time dilation). To you, the time it takes to make the trip is indeed measured as 0, because the distance of the trip appears as 0 when you travel at lightspeed. However, to an outside observer, the distance was one lightyear, and the trip took you one year. But throughout that time and across that distance, you appear to them as frozen in time.
 

1. What is a time cone?

A time cone is a graphical representation of the past, present, and future events that are causally connected to a specific point in space-time.

2. How is a time cone related to the concept of time?

A time cone illustrates the concept of time by showing how events from the past have influenced the present and how the present will shape the future.

3. What is the significance of a time cone in scientific research?

A time cone is significant in scientific research because it helps scientists understand the cause-and-effect relationships between events and predict future outcomes.

4. Can a time cone be used to travel through time?

No, a time cone is a theoretical concept and cannot be physically manipulated for time travel.

5. Is the shape of a time cone always a cone?

No, the shape of a time cone can vary depending on the reference point and the curvature of space-time. It can also appear as a cylinder or a warped shape in certain scenarios.

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