Question

Two friends (A and B) have planned a meeting at 9 am at their office. Friend A reached the office at 9 am according to A's watch, while B reached the office at 8:55 am according to B's watch. Yet, when B reached the office, A's watch showed 9:05 am. A argues that B's watch was slow since he drove fast, and that his time of 9:05 am is correct. Are their arguments correct? What assumptions have they made? Discuss this scenario in terms of Einstein's special relativity. Remember to include the following information:

1. Einstein's special relativity.
2. Time dilation.
3. Length contraction.

Answer 1

According to Einstein's special relativity, time dilation occurs when an object moves at a significant fraction of the speed of light, causing time to run slower. Friend A's argument that B's watch was slow and that A's 9:05 am time is correct is incorrect, as it ignores the effects of special relativity.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to Einstein's special relativity, time dilation occurs when an object moves at a significant fraction of the speed of light. This means that time runs slower for an object moving at a high velocity relative to an object at rest. Additionally, length contraction occurs, which means that the length of an object appears shorter in the direction of its motion. Taking these concepts into account, Friend A's argument that B's watch was slow is incorrect. In fact, according to special relativity, A's watch would appear to be slow compared to B's watch due to A's higher velocity. Therefore, their arguments are based on a misunderstanding of the effects of special relativity.