Regarding “light clocks” and how moving clocks run slow: Does this mean that, if you were on the ISS or some other satellite, clocks on Earth run slow?

Question

I’m still very confused by how clocks could end up out of sync in this way. For example, if you were to send a clock into space, it “runs slow” for awhile, then bring it back to Earth, would it then be permanently “behind” unless it’s manually caught up?

In: Physics

Answer 1

It depends how they meet up. 

 When I go from point A to point B in a straight line and you go in a curved line your odometer will read more than mine. 

 Now in space-time this is also true with clocks which are basically the odometer’s of time. That is odometers integrate space and clocks integrate time.

The important Point here is they have to meet up at the end to make a determination who’s clock is slower