Einstein's theory of special relativity is the basis for
the Einstein's Pedometer iPhone app
Among other things, Einstein's theory of special relativity
says that as an object's velocity increases, time as experienced
by the object will slow down when compared to another object
traveling at a lower velocity. This means that a "relatively"
short round trip on a space ship traveling at close to the speed
of light would see you arrive home having aged less than those
back on Earth. While the greater the velocities involved, the
greater the effect, the theory applies to all relative movement.
Now there's an
iPhone app that will let you know just how many extra
nanoseconds you've gained by getting moving as opposed to
sitting on your rear end.
To calculate just how much time you've gained by walking to
the shops, the Einstein's Pedometer app uses the iPhone's GPS
capabilities and the Lorentz transformation, which describes how
two observers' varying measurements of space and time can be
converted into each others frame of reference. A quick stroll
round the neighborhood with Einstein's Pedometer yielded me an
extra 0.00021440 nanosconds than if I'd stayed at my desk doing
something else, like working. I plan to spend the extra time
composing my memoirs.
Einstein's Pedometer is compatible with
iPhone,
iPod touch and
iPad
devices running iOS 4.2 or later. It is free on the
iTunes Store.
Via
bookofjoe
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