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Time Dilation and the Speed of Light

-- | September 18, 2013

Question: T or F: Since gravitational time dilation has been confirmed to exist. The speed of light cannot be constant since speed = distance÷ time and if the denominator changes then the speed must also change? Or atleast the distance would have to change to keep the equation in balance. — Mike

Answer: Time dilation is the difference of elapsed time between two events as measured by observers who are located in different gravitational environments. The speed of light in any one of these locations is always equal to c. A time delay is measured by a remote observer who monitors the passage of light near a source of gravity, such as our Sun. You can think of this as causing the path of the light to be “curved” near the gravitational object, thus lengthening the distance, and time, needed for the light to reach the remote observer.

Jeff Mangum

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