Wednesday, 22 October 2014

general relativity - A clock in freefall


Time dilation calculated using Schwarzschild metric for a non rotating spherical body is: t0=tf12GMrc2



For such a non rotating spherical body, what would the time dilation of a clock in vacuum free-falling from infinity be? (If the answer is non-trivial; a high level outline of the calculation would suffice / be appreciated)


Edit: I am currently working on an iOS app that is trying to model the mechanism underpinning relativity. So, far the mechanism that I have created is shockingly simple and shockingly good at conforming to Relativity. However, I am trying to break it. I am trying to find any possible areas where the two may diverge. I have noted that using my model a clock in freefall will experience no time dilation, i.e. t0=tf and I want to make sure Relativity agrees.


I have noted the gravitational component of time dilation above. Since my clock is moving one might also expect a kinematic time dilation. I can calculate the velocity of my clock: Ek=12mv2

Ep=GMmr
v=2GMr
Plugging this velocity into the kinematic time dilation equation: Δt=Δt1v2c2
Δt=Δt12GMrc2


At this point one might make the observation that the kinematic dilation is the inverse of the gravitational dilation and therefore conclude that: t0=tf



Answer



This is how to calculate the time dilation for an object moving at velocity v in a radial direction towards or away from the black hole.


Because the object is moving radially dθ=dϕ=0 and the Schwarzschild metric simplifies to:


c2dτ2=c2(1rsr)dt2dr21rs/r


dτ is the proper time, and this corresponds to the time shown on the falling objects clock. dt and dr and the time and radial displacement measured by the distant observer. The time dilation is dτ/dt, and to calculate this we have to note that if the velocity measured by the Schwarzschild observer is v then dr=vdt. Substituting this into equation (1) we get:


c2dτ2=c2(1rsr)dt2v2dt21rs/r



And rearranging this gives:


(dτdt)2=1rsrv2c211rs/r


I've left v in the equation. To eliminate v you need to use the expression relating v to r for an object free-falling from infinity:


vc=(1rsr)(rsr)1/2


I'll leave the working as an exercise for the reader. The rather surprising result after we've done the substitution is:


dτdt=1rsr


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