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A Nonrelativistic Analogy to Relativistic Time Dilatation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 November 2016

John E. Prussing
John E. Prussing*
Affiliation:
Aeronautical and Astronautical, Engineering Department, 101 Transportation Building, University of Illinois, Urbana 61801
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Extract

In the theory of special relativity one encounters the notion of time dilatation. A commonly cited example is that “a clock moving relative to an observer is found to run more slowly than one at rest relative to him” [1]. This concept, although readily acceptable on a purely mathematical basis, often appears somewhat mystical to a student, when compared with his everyday experiences in the physical world. In order to bridge the gap between the mathematics and the physical world, a simple physical analogy (which could easily be constructed as a classroom demonstration) illustrates in a nonrelativistic manner this rather unintuitive notion of relativistic time dilatation.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Mathematical Gazette , Volume 56 , Issue 397 , October 1972 , pp. 197 - 199
Copyright
Copyright © Mathematical Association 1972

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References

1. Jackson, J.D.: Classical Electrodynamics. John Wiley and Sons, New York (1962).Google Scholar
2. Lanczos, C.: The Variational Principles of Mechanics. Mathematical Expositions, University of Toronto Press (3rd edition, 1966).Google Scholar