- #1
yuiop
- 3,962
- 20
Quite often the explanation to the twins paradox is stated as acceleration breaks the symmetry or one twin feels acceleration while the other does not. I would like to add a new twist that analyses this explanation.
Consider a push-me-pull-you rocket with two engines, one at either end so that it can accelerate and decelerate in a straight line without having to turn around. One twin (Peter) accelerates off into space in his fancy rocket for 10 years (by his clock) at a constant proper acceleration of 9.8m/s/s. He then turns off the rear engine and switches on the reverse engine mounted on the front and de-accelerates for a further 20 years at a constant proper acceleration of 9.8m/s/s before finally swapping engines again for the last 10 year segment of his journey to arrive back at Earth. For his entire 40 year journey Peter has experienced a proper acceleration of 9.8m/s/s while his twin Paul ,that remained on Earth ,also experienced proper acceleration of 9.8m/s/s for the entire period Peter was away due to the gravity of the Earth. Ignoring trivial split seconds when Peter was switching engines over, will both the twins have aged by the same amount (40 years) because they have both experienced the same acceleration?
Consider a push-me-pull-you rocket with two engines, one at either end so that it can accelerate and decelerate in a straight line without having to turn around. One twin (Peter) accelerates off into space in his fancy rocket for 10 years (by his clock) at a constant proper acceleration of 9.8m/s/s. He then turns off the rear engine and switches on the reverse engine mounted on the front and de-accelerates for a further 20 years at a constant proper acceleration of 9.8m/s/s before finally swapping engines again for the last 10 year segment of his journey to arrive back at Earth. For his entire 40 year journey Peter has experienced a proper acceleration of 9.8m/s/s while his twin Paul ,that remained on Earth ,also experienced proper acceleration of 9.8m/s/s for the entire period Peter was away due to the gravity of the Earth. Ignoring trivial split seconds when Peter was switching engines over, will both the twins have aged by the same amount (40 years) because they have both experienced the same acceleration?