Does time exist in space? (2024)

Asked by: Alex Sutherland, Banffshire

Time is a complex subject for physicists. Einstein showed that time and space are intimately linked and that the progression of time is relative, not absolute. Although there is nothing in physics that says time must flow in a certain direction, scientists generally agree that time is a very real property of the Universe. Our science is thus based on the assumption that the laws of physics, and the passage of time, exist throughout the Universe.

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Does time exist in space? (2024)

FAQs

Does time exist in space? ›

Einstein showed that time and space are intimately linked and that the progression of time is relative, not absolute. Although there is nothing in physics that says time must flow in a certain direction, scientists generally agree that time is a very real property of the Universe.

Is there no concept of time in space? ›

In the context of special relativity, time cannot be separated from the three dimensions of space, because the observed rate at which time passes for an object depends on the object's velocity relative to the observer.

How long is one hour in space? ›

Explanation: The clocks in space tick more slowly than clocks on Earth., HENCE COVERING LESS TIME AS COMPARED TO EARTH IN THE SAME DURATION. One hour on Earth is 0.0026 seconds in space. Thus, upon calculation we find that one hour on Earth is equivalent to seven years in space.

Why does space have no time? ›

Scientists once thought that space and time were separate, and that the universe was merely an assortment of cosmic bodies arranged in three dimensions. Einstein, however, introduced the concept of time as the fourth dimension, which meant that space and time were inextricably linked.

Are space and time an illusion? ›

Instead, space and time themselves are considered products of a more fundamental projector reality. Nathan Seiberg, a leading string theorist at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, New Jersey, is not alone in his sentiment when he states, “I'm almost certain that space and time are illusions.

How long is 5 years in space on Earth? ›

Five years on a ship traveling at 99 percent the speed of light (2.5 years out and 2.5 years back) corresponds to roughly 36 years on Earth. When the spaceship returned to Earth, the people onboard would come back 31 years in their future--but they would be only five years older than when they left.

How long is 1 year in space? ›

1 year in space is equivalent to approximately 1 year on Earth. This is because the concept of time remains the same regardless of whether you are in space or on Earth. However, it's important to note that time can be affected by different factors in space, such as gravitational fields and relative velocity.

Is 1 hour in space really 7 years? ›

The statement that one hour in space is equivalent to 7 years on Earth is not accurate. Time dilation, a concept from Einstein's theory of relativity, does affect time in space relative to different reference frames, but the effect is typically negligible for most space travel scenarios within our solar system.

How long is 10 years in space on Earth? ›

You had the human made years in mind which belongs to Earth so that itself is your answer, 10 years in space is 10 years on earth as the quantity and measurement is done with same scale.

Do physicists believe time exists? ›

Among physicists, there is no real doubt that time does really, truly exist. It's a measurable, observable phenomenon. Physicists are just divided a bit on what causes this existence, and what it means to say that it exists.

Does the future already exist? ›

According to general relativity space and time are the same: 4 dimensional spacetime. This means that the movement of time from the past and into the future we feel is an illusion. In a way our 4d spacetime is static and exists as 1 blob with the entire spacetime history of our universe.

Is time an illusion or a dimension? ›

The currently accepted view of physics is that time is as real as space. Time is sometimes thought of as 'just' the fourth dimension, but it seems as though it is somehow different from the three dimensions of space. For a start, it appears to flow in only one direction.

Can time exist without reality? ›

To many physicists, while we experience time as psychologically real, time is not fundamentally real. At the deepest foundations of nature, time is not a primitive, irreducible element or concept required to construct reality.

Is it possible to reverse time? ›

In the physical world, time marches in one direction, but things aren't so straight forward in the quantum realm. Researchers have discovered that it's possible to speed up, slow down, or reverse the flow of time in a quantum system.

What if the concept of time didn't exist? ›

Since any kind of motion is a measurement of time, the Universe would have to come to a standstill. Molecules would stop vibrating. Since everything is at a perfect standstill, including your neural impulses, no one would even know that time has stopped.

How long is one day in space? ›

How long is a day in outer space? A day in outer space is 90 minutes long, which means that astronauts see around 16 sunsets per day. However, practically speaking, “days” don't really exist in outer space; they only come into play when you're on a planet.

How long is a full day in space? ›

Therefore the solar day on the ISS is considerably shorter than the earth day at just over 90 minutes in duration. Put another way crew members on the ISS experience a either a sunrise or a sunset roughly every 45 minutes.

How much time is 1 second in space? ›

The light-second is a unit of length useful in astronomy, telecommunications and relativistic physics. It is defined as the distance that light travels in free space in one second, and is equal to exactly 299792458 m (approximately 983571055 ft or 186282 mi).

How long is one hour in black holes? ›

Expert-Verified Answer

For a black hole observer, one hour is equivalent to 100,000,000 years on Earth. In contrast to time distant from a black hole, time moves more slowly as you approach closer to one. (According to Einstein's theory, this effect is produced by any big body, including the Earth.

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