A Simple Demonstration of Space/Time Relativity

[Anomalocaris]

This is so simple, I’m sure others have thought of it. So, it’s only relatively original.  All you need is a piece of paper, some scissors, and a pen or pencil.

1. Cut the paper into a perfect circle. You can do this easily by folding the paper and cutting it in half a circle.
2. Find the exact center of the circle and place a dot there.
3. Two inches from the center place another dot.
4. In line with the first two dots, place another dot four inches from the center.
Distances don’t matter, but to make things simple and ease your observation, keep your dots in one line along one radius from the center to the circumference of your circle.

Now rotate your circle using the center dot as your axis. Note, this is one solid piece of paper so it’s all moving at the same speed. Yet while the center dot stays in place, the second dot my move an inch and the third dot may move two inches.

How can this be? how can objects moving at the same speed, for the same duration of time, move different distances?

Once you  grasp the basic concept you can experiment with different distances using triangulation and epicurean mathematics to make calculations and satisfy your own curiosity.

You concept of speed as it applies to a point rotating about a center is not accurate.    

The speed of an dot revolving around a point is equal to (distance between the dot and center of rotation) X (rate of rotation in Radians per second)

So a object revolving around a center at the same rate about but twice as far from the center will experience speed twice as fast.   As a result, it will cover twice the circular distance in the same amount of time.

To exhibit relativistic effect that would reduce apparent rate of time progression by half,  the object would have to travel at about 93% speed of light relative to you, or about 2/3 the distance to the moon each second.

In addition, if that were to occur,  the object will not appear to you to be moving slower in your frame of reference.   it will still appear to you to be covering the same distance over the same time as you would expect from its speed.   The relativistic effect you will see is the object will appear to shorten, and things happening on the object will appear to happen at slower rate.