Showing results for "time dilation"

• a variation of time dilatation.

time dilation

American  

[tahym-dahy-lay-shuhn] / ˈtaɪm daɪˈleɪ ʃən /

noun

1. Physics. a difference in the rate at which time passes for one observer compared with another, depending on their relative motion or locations, especially where differing gravitational influences are present.

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time dilation British  

noun

1. the principle predicted by relativity that time intervals between events in a system have larger values measured by an observer moving with respect to the system than those measured by an observer at rest with respect to it

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time dilation Scientific  

1. The relativistic effect of the slowing of a clock with respect to an observer. In Special Relativity, a clock moving with respect to an observer appears to run more slowly than to an observer moving with the clock. In General Relativity, time dilation is also caused by gravity; clocks on the earth's surface, for example, run more slowly than clocks at high altitudes, where gravitational forces are weaker.

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time dilation Cultural  

1. In physics, the apparent slowing down of moving clocks that is predicted by the special theory of relativity. Time dilation is well verified experimentally.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

time dilation

Time itself passes differently at such distances -- a phenomenon known as cosmological time dilation.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 7, 2025

Caffeine has a time dilation on it so it could be hours that I’m in there or 30 minutes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2025

High-energy muons traveling at near–light-speed endure longer, for milliseconds, because of the time dilation predicted by Einstein’s theory of relativity.

From Science Magazine ● Mar. 27, 2024

Hawkins himself has previously conducted research that failed to detect time dilation in quasars, which he says underscores the significance of ongoing investigation and refinement in the field.

From Scientific American ● Jul. 19, 2023

Such ships could not travel close enough to the speed of light for special relativistic time dilation to become important.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

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