What time is it?

Status
Not open for further replies.
M

Motor Daddy

Valued Senior Member
If you are at the midpoint of a plane in flight, and it is 12:00:00, what time is it at the front and rear of the plane?
 
Depends on what time zone the plane is located in. If the example you gave is accurate then the entire plane would be in that same time zone as long as it is sitting still and not crossing into another time zone.
 
cosmictraveler said:
Depends on what time zone the plane is located in. If the example you gave is accurate then the entire plane would be in that same time zone as long as it is sitting still and not crossing into another time zone.
Click to expand...

Say for example the plane is in flight from NY to Florida.
 
Again I'll only state if the plane is sitting still not moving because the time zones change allot when flying.
 
cosmictraveler said:
Again I'll only state if the plane is sitting still not moving because the time zones change allot when flying.
Click to expand...

So you don't know what time it is at the front and rear of the plane if it is in flight? The plane is always in the same timezone from NY to Florida.
 
Motor Daddy said:
I didn't make a statement, I asked what time it is at the front and rear of the plane if it is 12:00:00 at the midpoint of the plane, while the plane is in flight.
Click to expand...


Is this a relativity question in disguise?

If we're talking purely timezones, then the front of the plane will be slightly further away from GMT so it will be earlier and visa-versa for the tail end of the plane.

Is that what you're asking?
 
alephnull said:
Is this a relativity question in disguise?

If we're talking purely timezones, then the front of the plane will be slightly further away from GMT so it will be earlier and visa-versa for the tail end of the plane.

Is that what you're asking?
Click to expand...

The plane never leaves the Eastern Timezone.
 
Motor Daddy said:
The plane never leaves the Eastern Timezone.
Click to expand...

OK, but you didn't answer my first question.

So this question isn't to do with timezones at all?

Even if it stays within a time zone you can still have "local time", where time changes away from GMT continuously rather than in discrete jumps of an hour.

No one really uses it any more, bar a few silly traditions:

http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.co.uk/info/oxford.htm
 
alephnull said:
OK, but you didn't answer my first question.

So this question isn't to do with timezones at all?

Even if it stays within a time zone you can still have "local time", where time changes away from GMT continuously rather than in discrete jumps of an hour.

No one really uses it any more, bar a few silly traditions:

http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.co.uk/info/oxford.htm
Click to expand...

The plane is traveling North to South, from NY to Florida.

You didn't answer my question, what time is it at the front and rear of the plane?
 
Motor Daddy said:
The plane is traveling North to South, from NY to Florida.

You didn't answer my question, what time is it at the front and rear of the plane?
Click to expand...

Well if the plane is travelling PERFECTLY north to south, then it lies on a single line of longitude, so the "time" at the front, middle and rear of the plane are the same relative to GMT.

But I'm guessing that's not the answer you are looking for and this is actually about special/general relativity.

I've seen other relativity threads of yours so this will (probably) be my last post ITT.
 
cosmictraveler said:
It's party time! :D
Click to expand...

:) Good answer, but if it's party time at the front of the plane, isn't it also party time at the midpoint and rear of the plane? I mean, why should only the people at the front of the plane get to party? Because they are flying first class? Does time discriminate based on classes of flight?:D
 
If this is going to be another one of your train wrecks on relativity I suggest you quit before you start.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top