Submitting Campus
Prescott
Department
Physics and Astronomy
Document Type
Article
Publication/Presentation Date
2-2006
Abstract/Description
The gedanken experiment of the clock paradox is solved exactly using the general relativistic equations for a static homogeneous gravitational field. We demonstrate that the general and special relativistic clock paradox solutions are identical and in particular that they are identical for finite acceleration. Practical expressions are obtained for proper time and coordinate time by using the destination distance as the key observable parameter. This solution provides a formal demonstration of the identity between the special and general relativistic clock paradox with finite acceleration and where proper time is assumed to be the same in both formalisms. By solving the equations of motion for a freely falling clock in a static homogeneous field elapsed times are calculated for realistic journeys to the stars.
Publication Title
Foundations of Physics Letters
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/S10702-006-1850-3
Publisher
Springer
Scholarly Commons Citation
Jones, P., & Wanex, L. F. (2006). The Clock Paradox in a Static Homogeneous Gravitational Field. Foundations of Physics Letters, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/S10702-006-1850-3
Additional Information
Dr. Jones was not affiliated with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University at the time this paper was published.