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If my twin rockets away at near C, how come he ages slower than I? When from his perspective I rocketed away from him.

Me and my twin develop a rocket that can fly through space near the speed of light... He gets in and takes off and his rocket approaches C. From my perspective time slows down for him, he ages slower than me on earth, and when he returns more time has passed for me.  But from his perspective earth has taken off at near C away from him, so shouldn't he see time slow for me.  And from his perspective, when earth returns shouldn't he have aged more rapidly than me? If its all relative, what is the mechanism that decides who ages, when both brothers see the exact same scenario from different points of view?

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Categories: Our universe.

Tags: Speedoflight, relativity, spacetime, Timedistancetravel.

 

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Di says:

The twin who leaves Earth accelerates to near C, slows down to turn around, accelerates to near C again on the return trip and slows down to land. Time slows down in the presence of high gravitation or acceleration which is the same thing. The twin on Earth enjoys our regular gravitation in the meantime. Thus the twin in the rocket who has endured high acceleration/gravitation will genuinely be years younger than the twin on Earth though I doubt that he'll look it!

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Tags: Speedoflight, relativity, spacetime, Timedistancetravel.

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posted on 2010-10-11 02:41:03 | Report abuse

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bobbyfischer says:

In this case what determines that my twin is ultimately accelerating away from me and not vice versa? How come I cannot consider the rocketship to be 'still' and the earth accelerating away, because that is what my twin is seeing from his perspective.

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Tags: Speedoflight, relativity, spacetime, Timedistancetravel.

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posted on 2010-10-11 04:09:01 | Report abuse


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