Definition:Time Dilation

Definition

Time dilation is one of the effects predicted by the special theory of relativity as follows:

When two observers move at constant relative velocity, each will observes that the other's clock will operate more slowly.

That is, time is different for two observers moving relative to each other.

Hence, if a clock ticks at $n$ times per second, an observer moving at speed $v$, that clock will appear to tick $\dfrac n {\sqrt {1 - \dfrac {v^2} {c^2} } }$ times per second.

Also see

• Results about time dilation can be found here.

Sources

• 1998: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): dilation: 2.
• 1998: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): time dilation
• 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): dilation: 2.
• 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): time dilation