While I was reading Ta-Pei Cheng's book on relativity, I was unable to derive the correct relationship between coordinate time dt (the book defined it as the time measured by a clock located at r=∞ from the source of gravity) and proper time dτ from the definition of metric.
The book states that for a weak and static gravitational field, g00(r)=−(1+2Φ(r)c2) (with the metric signature (−1,1,1,1) and Φ(r) is the gravitational potential) and the proper time dτ=√−g00dt.
From the gravitational redshift result I know that the above result is correct (in a more unambiguous form dτ=√−g00(rτ)dt).
However, if I simply use the formula for spacetime interval ds2=gμνdxμdxν (assuming two clocks that measure proper time and coordinate time are at rest relative to each other), I have
ds2=g00(rτ)c2dτ2=g00(rt)c2dt2=−c2dt2⟹√−g00(rτ)dτ=dt This suggests that time flows faster with a lower gravitational potential which is incorrect.
I'm not sure why the above method lead to a wrong conclusion, did I misunderstood the the definition of proper time, coordinate time or spacetime interval?
Update:
- One mistake I've made is letting ds2=g00(rτ)c2dτ2, which should be ds2=−c2dτ2 by definition. However, I'm confused about two definitions of ds2 now. ds2=−c2dτ2=gμνdxμdxν, this suggests that g00 is always −1 for the frame that measures proper time, but in my problem g00 is a function of r which is only equals to −1 if r=∞, how could two both be true at the same time?
- Assuming ds2=−c2dτ2 is true, as all the answers pointed out that dτ=√−g00dt. But by the definition of g00 and ds2 the g00 used here must be −(1+2Φ(rt)/c2)=−1, but I want g00 here to be −(1+2Φ(rτ)/c2) so that dτ=√−g00dt=√1+2Φ(rτ)/c2dt≈(1+Φ(rτ)/c2)dt⟹dτ−dtdt=Φ(rτ)c2=Φ(rτ)−Φ(rt)c2
Please correct me if I've made any mistakes!
No comments:
Post a Comment