5 ms·

The "why" in the framework of special relativity would be "because the Lorentz transformations rotate points in four-dimensional spacetime." If you imagine eve

The "why" in the framework of special relativity would be "because the Lorentz transformations rotate points in four-dimensional spacetime." If you imagine every event as having (x,y,z,t) coordinates in a particular reference frame, the Lorentz transformation is a 4x4 matrix which rotates events to show what would be observed in another reference frame. You trade spatial distance for temporal distance and vice versa. This comes out of the structure of spacetime, rather than viscosity of some kind, which would be visible as a force.

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felipemnoa 14y ago
Your answer does not explain why. It correctly predicts the universe but it is not a why. Why do all particles slow down as speed increases? I'm looking for a more fundamental answer here.
- capnrefsmmat 14y ago
  "Spacetime is a Minkowski space" is why. Remember that mysterious viscosity cannot explain particle slowdown, because the particles appear to be perfectly normal in a co-moving reference frame. If you're looking for something more than a model that correctly predicts the universe, you're looking for something other than physics.
  - felipemnoa 14y ago
    I'm looking for a more fundamental model. Edit: Let me see if I can make myself clear. We know that c is constant no matter how fast you are moving. If c is constant then it can be derived that time slows down and distances get compressed, etc. etc. etc. Einstein derived all of this by realizing that c is constant in all frames of reference. Now, if I ask "Why does time slow down?" and I get the answer "because c is constant" then we are just going in circles. It seems that that is what is happening here. Correct me if I'm wrong but are you not using a derivation of the fact that c is constant as an answer? I'm looking for a more fundamental reason as to why time slows down. Which is the same as asking why c is constant.
stephengillie 14y ago
To felipemnoa (since there's no reply link under your latest post in my view) All solid matter moves forward in time at the same speed, minus the speed in which it's moving in the other 3 dimensions. Light and other particles only move forwards in time.

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felipemnoa 14y ago

Your answer does not explain why. It correctly predicts the universe but it is not a why. Why do all particles slow down as speed increases? I'm looking for a more fundamental answer here.

capnrefsmmat 14y ago
"Spacetime is a Minkowski space" is why. Remember that mysterious viscosity cannot explain particle slowdown, because the particles appear to be perfectly normal in a co-moving reference frame. If you're looking for something more than a model that correctly predicts the universe, you're looking for something other than physics.
- felipemnoa 14y ago
  I'm looking for a more fundamental model. Edit: Let me see if I can make myself clear. We know that c is constant no matter how fast you are moving. If c is constant then it can be derived that time slows down and distances get compressed, etc. etc. etc. Einstein derived all of this by realizing that c is constant in all frames of reference. Now, if I ask "Why does time slow down?" and I get the answer "because c is constant" then we are just going in circles. It seems that that is what is happening here. Correct me if I'm wrong but are you not using a derivation of the fact that c is constant as an answer? I'm looking for a more fundamental reason as to why time slows down. Which is the same as asking why c is constant.

stephengillie 14y ago

To felipemnoa (since there's no reply link under your latest post in my view) All solid matter moves forward in time at the same speed, minus the speed in which it's moving in the other 3 dimensions. Light and other particles only move forwards in time.