Misconceptions About Time Dilation and Physical Distortions.

Trevor White,

Your overly confident statement demonstrates a lack of understanding or a misrepresentation of time dilation. Your portrayal of time dilation, t', as a form of contraction or expansion (implying physical transformation) is incorrect or misleading. Time dilation is defined by t' > t, meaning the dilated time (t') is greater than the proper time (t). Presenting time distortion as length (l') misinterprets the concept, as time and length are not directly equivalent.

Time dilation, represented by t', essentially reflects a deviation in the measurement of time. When the standard time scale (t) is stretched or compressed, it introduces discrepancies in our standardized perception of time.

On the other hand, length contraction or expansion, as you suggested, refers to the distortion of a physical object's shape or size due to external influences such as heat, mechanical force, motion, or gravitational potential differences. These factors can physically deform objects and alter oscillation frequencies—phenomena that are purely physical in nature. However, time itself, being an abstract concept, is not subject to physical interactions; rather, only physical entities, such as clocks, can be affected.

A physical clock, which measures time, can indeed be altered by external factors such as heat, mechanical forces, motion, or gravitational potential energy. However, these distortions impact the clock's mechanism, leading to inaccurate time readings—this erroneous measurement is often misinterpreted as time dilation.

Ultimately, it is important to recognize that events invoke time, not the other way around.