Time Dilation, Time Dilation in Relativity, What is Time Dilation?

TIME DILATION – TIME DILATION IN RELATIVITY

The word dilate means “Enlarge beyond normal size”. Time is also not absolute but relative. It is found that a moving clock in the space craft appear to tick at a slower rate than the stationary one on the ground as seen by an observer on ground.

Thus if a clock moves with very high speed v relative to an observer then it appears to be slowed down or time to time interval is increased by a factor .

Let us consider two frame of reference s and s’. s’ is moving with velocity v relative to s which is at rest along +x direction. A clock is at point x in the frames. Let the clock give out signal at two instant t1 and t2 then the interval between signal is given by .

If the signal interval is observed in frame of reference s’ then interval  is given by

From Lorentz transformation equation for time

Hence for a moving observer, the time interval appear to be dilated (increased).This phenomenon is known as Time Dilation.