Time: A Concrete Entity in Relativity or an Abstract Concept in Broader Scientific Understanding?

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By Soumendra Nath Thakur

ORCiD: 0000-0003-1871-7803

09-09-2024

In human psychology, time is a conscious experience—a construct reflecting the sequence of existence and events. In cosmology and physical sciences, time is often defined as the indefinite, continuous progression of existence and events in a uniform and irreversible succession, extending from the past, through the present, and into the future. This progression is conceptualized as a fourth dimension that exists above the three spatial dimensions.

Time is fundamentally a measurement to quantify changes in material reality. The SI unit of time, the second, is defined by measuring the electronic transition frequency of caesium atoms. Time is also recognized as one of the seven fundamental physical quantities in both the International System of Units (SI) and the International System of Quantities.

In physics, time is commonly defined by its measurement—essentially, "what a clock reads."

This description suggests that time, in its conventional understanding across various scientific disciplines and human experience, is an abstract concept, not a real, tangible entity. While time provides a framework for understanding the succession of events, it does not have a direct physical existence as space does in three dimensions. Time is often viewed as a hyper-dimensional abstraction—imperceptible and unreachable beyond the three-dimensional spatial realm.

However, relativity challenges this interpretation by treating time as a real entity—integrated with space to form a four-dimensional space-time continuum where time becomes subject to physical modifications, such as time dilation. This relativistic concept implies that time is not only concrete but also malleable under the influence of velocity and gravity, leading to discrepancies with other scientific interpretations that consider time an abstract or imaginary concept.

One of the main contentions is that time dilation, a cornerstone of relativity, effectively violates the standardization of time by presenting it as something dilatable, thereby questioning the uniformity and constancy of time itself. The traditional time scale based on a 360-degree cycle—representing a consistent progression—is disrupted by the relativistic notion of time dilation, which converts abstract time into something perceived as "real" or "natural." This treatment of time also seems to ignore the conscious human experience, which understands time as a subjective, psychological construct.

Furthermore, if time is not directly reachable—being an abstract hyper-dimensional concept—what then is the "time" that a clock measures? Clocks are designed to provide a standardized approximation of cosmic time through calibrated frequency counts, such as the electronic transitions of caesium atoms. However, the physical manifestation of time in clocks is inherently subject to distortions, primarily due to gravitational effects. Gravity affects mass and energy, altering the oscillation rates of clocks and resulting in time distortions. Consequently, even the most accurate atomic clocks require periodic adjustments to compensate for these external influences.

The discrepancy between the "real time" measured by clocks and the "conceptual time" of cosmic progression raises further questions about the nature of time. Clocks, intended to represent a uniform progression of time, must contend with gravitational influences that disrupt this uniformity, necessitating ongoing corrections. This challenges the idea that time is a tangible, concrete entity and supports the view that it remains fundamentally an abstract concept—a conceptual framework through which we interpret the order of existence and events.

In short, while relativistic physics proposes that time is a real entity susceptible to physical modifications like time dilation, this interpretation remains contentious when viewed through the lens of broader scientific understanding. Time appears more consistent with an abstract or imaginary concept, a near-approximate representation that is susceptible to external influences, yet ultimately remains beyond the realm of tangible existence.

#Interpretation #Concrete #Conceptualization #Consciousness #AbstractInterpretation #AtomicClock #Time #3Dimensional #dimensionalmeasurementaccuracy

Time: Real or Abstract Emergence Through Existence and Events?

By Soumendra Nath Thakur

ORCiD: 0000-0003-1871-7803

Revised on 09-09-2024

In human psychology, time is a conscious experience, encompassing existence and events. In cosmology and physical sciences, time is generally defined as the indefinite, continuous progression of existence and events in a uniform and irreversible sequence, moving from the past, through the present, and into the future. This progression is considered as a whole and is referred to as the fourth dimension, beyond the three spatial dimensions.

Time serves as a measurement to quantify changes in material reality. The SI unit of time is the second, defined by measuring the electronic transition frequency of caesium atoms. Time is also one of the seven fundamental physical quantities in both the International System of Units (SI) and the International System of Quantities.

From a physics perspective, time is typically defined by its measurement: it is what a clock reads. Thus, time is viewed as a fourth-dimensional consideration — a concept rather than a tangible entity. While existence and events occupy three-dimensional space, time is thought to reside in a fourth dimension.

Furthermore, time and space differ not only in their characteristics but also in their dimensions. Time belongs to an imperceptible hyper-dimension, while space exists in the perceptible three dimensions. Due to this dimensional difference, they cannot form an alliance. Anything beyond the three dimensions of space is unreachable for us, including the dimension of time.

This leads to a pertinent question: “If time is not directly reachable, then what is the time that a clock reads?”

A scientific answer to this question is that cosmic time is defined as the abstract progression of real existence and events. Therefore, the time read by a clock is a physical manifestation of cosmic time through a standardized frequency count, as per the SI standard. Clock time represents a near approximation of cosmic time, manifested in the order of cosmic time. However, there is always a distortion between real time (as indicated by a clock) and conceptual time (cosmic time), primarily due to the effects of gravitational influence.

Gravity affects mass or energy, resulting in a distortion of the oscillation rate of clocks. Consequently, a clock's time is influenced by gravity, while abstract cosmic time remains unaffected by events, maintaining a uniform succession relative to existential events.

Clocks are designed to represent a uniform manifestation of real time by maintaining standardized frequencies, but gravity affects the uniform progression of time in clock mechanisms by altering their oscillation. This necessitates periodic adjustments in oscillation to ensure consistency, even for atomic clocks, which require daily automatic adjustments.

In conclusion, time is an abstract concept, whereas clock time is a real manifestation of this abstraction, approximated and subject to distortion by external influences like gravity.

#time

Clarification on Time Distortion and Phase Shifts in Relation to Falling Clocks

09-09-2024

Dear Mr. Robert A. Phillips,

Thank you for your response concerning falling clocks.

However, the focus of our discussion is "Dark Energy as a By-Product of Negative Effective Mass," and a question about falling clocks is not directly relevant to this topic. Addressing your question on falling clocks might not contribute to the core discussion on Dark Energy and its Negative Effective Mass. I would encourage keeping our conversation focused on the specific topic at hand.

Regarding your statement that a falling clock closer to Earth oscillates more slowly than one at a higher position, leading to a reduction in subatomic kinetic energy proportional to the square of the relative clock rate:

Please note that, scientifically, a clock closer to Earth actually oscillates faster, not more slowly, than one at a higher altitude due to the stronger gravitational force at Earth's surface. This results in a more energetic condition, where higher energy corresponds to a higher frequency and therefore a higher oscillation rate, according to Planck's equation, E=hf.

Your statement seems to touch on how a falling mass under Earth's gravitational force undergoes deformation due to strain, which causes corresponding changes in its dimensions, as explained by Hooke's Law. Furthermore, gravitational force affects the internal subatomic and molecular structure of the falling mass, leading to strain and deformation in accordance with force-mass equations in classical mechanics.

Consequently, the oscillation of the atomic clock is affected, leading to distortion in the clock's time readings. My research paper, titled "Relativistic Effects on Phase Shift in Frequencies Invalidate Time Dilation II," provides a comprehensive explanation and solution to this issue. You can access it at this URL: Relativistic Effects on Phase Shift in Frequencies Invalidate Time Dilation II.

This research demonstrates that variations in gravitational forces (G-forces) cause internal particles of matter to interact, resulting in stresses and deformations within the matter. Distortions in wavelength due to phase shifts in relative frequencies directly correspond to time distortions, as described by the relationship λ∝T, where λ represents the wavelength and T the period of oscillation. Relativistic effects, such as differences in speed or gravitational potential, influence the clock's mechanism through phase shifts in frequencies, resulting in increased wavelengths of clock oscillations and subsequent errors in time readings. These phase shifts, linked to an increase in the wavelength of clock oscillations, cause time distortion.

Experiments conducted with piezoelectric crystal oscillators in electronic laboratories have shown that wave distortions correspond to time distortions due to relativistic effects. The time interval T(deg) for a 1° phase shift is inversely proportional to the frequency (f), indicating that a wave corresponds to a time shift.

For example, a 1° phase shift on a 5 MHz wave corresponds to a time shift of 555 picoseconds (ps).

• For a 1° phase shift, T(deg) = T/360. Since T=1/f, we have:
• 1° phase shift = T/360 = (1/f)/360.
• For a wave with a frequency f = 5 MHz, the phase shift (in degrees) can be calculated as:
• T(deg)= (1/5,000,000)/360 = 555 ps = Δt.

Thus, for a 1° phase shift in a wave with a frequency of 5 MHz and a wavelength λ = 59.95 m, the corresponding time shift (or time delay) Δt is approximately 555 ps.

Therefore, as a falling clock approaches the Earth's surface, it reverses the magnitude of its deformation, thereby reversing the magnitude of time distortion. The phase shift in the oscillation frequency can be used to calculate the magnitude of this time distortion using the following formula:

• For a 1° phase shift: T(deg) = (1/f)/360 = Δt or,
• For an x° phase shift: Δtₓ = x(1/360f₀)

For more details, please refer to my research paper, "Phase Shift and Infinitesimal Wave Energy Loss Equations," available at this URL: Phase Shift and Infinitesimal Wave Energy Loss Equations.

Best regards,

Soumendra Nath Thakur