Mathematical Time And Physical Time
In Special And General Theory Of Relativity
Amrit Sorli, SpaceLife Institute,
Podere Petraiole, 53012 Chiusdino (SI), Italy
Abstract
In the Theory of Relativity time is an imaginary quantity that can not be observed; it is a multiplication of a number that indicates duration of material change and number i that is an imaginary number. I on the square is -1. Time t * i is a mathematical time that describes the speed and the duration of material change. In the Universe one can observe physical time only as a stream of material change. It is not that change runs in physical time, change itself is physical time. Distinction between imaginary mathematical time and visible physical time opens some new perspectives into interpretation of the Theory of Relativity.
Key words: mathematical time, physical time, space-time, physical space, time dilatation, time contraction, gravitation, EPR experiment, time travel
Introduction: In the universe, the passing of time cannot be clearly perceived as matter and space directly; one can perceive only irreversible physical, chemical, and biological changes in the physical space -- the space in which material objects exist. On the basis of elementary perception (sight) one can conclude that physical time exists only as a stream of change that runs through physical space. The important point is: Change does not "happen" in physical time -- change itself is physical time. This is a different and more correct perspective than the conventional view in physics, in which space-time is the theater or "stage" on which physical change happens. The terms "physical time" and " material change" describe the same phenomenon (1).
Physical time is irreversible. Change A transforms into change B, B transforms into C and so on. When B is in existence A does not exist anymore, when C is in existence B does not exist anymore. Here physical time is understood as a stream of irreversible change that runs through physical space. Theoretically in physical space without material change physical time does not run. Physical space itself is A-Temporal. The idea of space-time is developed into idea of A-Temporal physical space in which physical time run. With clocks we measure duration and speed of physical time (2).
"Time Dilatation" and "Space Contraction" In the fast moving inertial system the duration of physical time is longer for the outside observer. Lets imagine that a train is passing a station with the speed v. The observer on the train throws a ball that is rolling on the floor of the corridor. The duration of physical time of ball rolling will be for him t', for the observer on the embankment the duration (time) of the ball rolling will be t, the connection between two durations is:
t' = t
For the observer on the embankment the clocks on the train run slower than the clocks on the embankment because the speed of physical time is slower on the train then on the embankment. This would be the exact meaning of "time dilatation": the speed of physical time in faster inertial system is slower than the speed of physical time in slower inertial system. That's why the twin-brother that travels in the fast spaceship is getting older slower than his brother that has remained on the earth. Coming back on the earth he will be younger than his brother (3).
There is no experimental evidence for interpretation that in a faster inertial system there is dilatation of time as a fourth coordinate of space-time and that the coordinate of space in the direction of travelling is contracting. Experiment proves only that the speed of physical time is slower. According to this understanding "space contraction" in faster inertial system should not exists. The golf stick lying on the floor of the corridor in the direction of the train moving will have the same length for the observer on the train as for the observer on the embankment.
The duration of physical time is also getting slower with increasing gravitational force. Clocks run slower with increasing gravitational force. Duration of material change far away from the mass is in relation to the duration of material change near by mass with the formula:
where T is the duration of change measured by a clock far away from the mass. By sending twin-brother for a few years on the planet where gravitation is weaker as on the earth he would come back older r than his twin-brother that has remained on the Earth.
Gravitation In General Relativity gravitational force is carried directly by physical space and acts immediately. Gravitational force does not travel from one material object to another as light does. Gravitational force is present in the same way as physical space is present. In this sense the hypothetical gravitational waves should act immediately and have zero speed and should definitely not be faster than the speed of light. The principle stating that the speed of light is the maximum velocity is preserved here. As the physical space also the gravitational force is a-temporal.
Definitely the speed of gravitational waves should not be faster than light speed as suggested by Tom Van Flandern (4). The principle of maximum velocity of light is preserved here.
The duration of light to reach from the sun to the earth is around 8 minutes, the duration of gravitational force is zero. Speed of a light ray is around 300000 km per second, speed of gravity is zero.
EPR Experiment This new understanding of time and gravitation brings new light to the experiment of Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen (EPR). This experiment shows that the information between two quantum A and quantum B which have been together and then sent into space in opposite directions travels between them in an instant. One could predict that in the EPR experiment the information medium between two particles is physical space itself. As the speed of gravitational force between Sun and Earth is zero, also the speed of information between particle A and particle B is zero and so immediate and so A-Temporal.
