Einstein's twin paradox explained - Amber Stuver
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On their 20th birthday, identical twin astronauts volunteer for an experiment. Terra will remain on Earth, while Stella will board a spaceship. Stella’s ship will travel to visit a star that is 10 light-years away, then return to Earth. As they prepare to part ways, the twins wonder what will happen when they’re reunited. Who will be older? Amber Stuver investigates the “Twin Paradox.”
Consider a 30 ft (9 m) long garage with doors at both the front and the back (these doors can open and close instantaneously). a. Using special relativity, can you describe how to fit a 45 ft (14 m) school bus into this garage and have both doors closed, if only for an instant? b. For the situation you determine, describe what the bus driver sees and what a non-moving observer outside the garage sees. c. Will both of these observers agree that the bus was contained in the garage with both doors shut at the same time? Why or why not? (If you want to learn more about situations like this, research simultaneity in special relativity or the ladder paradox.)
About Space Ed
Space Ed helps you untangle the mysteries of space with the universe’s best videos on everything from Einstein's theory of relativity to what it would take to live on Mars. Brush up on the science, philosophy and mystery of space, because the fabric of the universe is the same fabric that connects us all.
Meet The Creators
- Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
- Script Editor Alex Gendler
- Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
- Educator Amber L. Stuver
- Associate Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
- Fact-checker Brian Gutierrez
- Sound Designer André Aires
- Producer Tom Knight
- Music AIM Creative Studios
- Animation Mulligan Studio, Ricardo Coelho
- Character Designer Rui Almeida
- 3D Animator Hélder Vasconcelos
