the difference between the concept of time and the concept of spaceTIME.
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The ‘time’ in spacetime is the same as ‘time’ itself. Spacetime puts space and time together because you can warp space which directly effects the time traveled in that space (relatively).
Basically Einstein theorized that time isn’t just a flat line, but it’s actually interwoven with our universe, space. When space gets affected by something like mass, creating gravity, time also is affected. Think of space-time as a trampoline, and when you place a heavy mass like a bowling ball on the trampoline, space-time gets deformed. This make things fall toward the ball (gravity) and makes time move slower.
Spacetime is a four dimensional place where the Universe exists. Three of those dimensions are spatial (up/down, left/right, forward/backward) and one of those dimensions is time. It seems that everything is moving at a speed of 1 second per second in this time dimension, but at very high speeds in the other dimensions a limiting condition surfaces. Since it’s easy to transform between the spatial dimensions we’ve discovered that for very large speeds, the transformation also changes speed in the time dimension, slowing down clocks in what is called special relativity.
Because the originally idea was time AND space were 2 different things.
You change space (tracking an object by a few feet) then time (by sec) moves independently with no influence with each other.
Now, turns out for a cosmic speed limit to exist, space and time needs to influence each other to compensate.
Time + space = spacetime. As other people here have explained better than I can, spacetime is a term that connects space and time. Einstein’s theory of general relativity, which has been proven correct (though not complete), connects space and time, showing that time is interconnected with space as if it were a sort of fourth dimension. Warping space warps time and vice versa.
Extremely simplified version:
The universe has an absolute speed limit(the speed of light) that nothing can exceed. Because of this it is possible in some situations to treat space and time as interchangeable concepts.
Example: An event occurs 1 lightsecond away from you(lightsecond = a measure of distance = space). Because of the absolute speed limit it will take at least 1 second for you to see or feel any of the effects of that event, thus you could say that the event takes place 1 second into the future(time).
“But wait” you say, “that’s just an artifact of perspective, surely in reality the event happens in this moment and not in the future.” Well, what is “reality” really? In science “reality” consists of that which is observable, things that can never be observed or interacted with effectively do not exist. And remember this speed limit is absolute, nothing can break it, thus there is no possible way for you to observe this event faster than one second from now.
What’s the difference between “length”, and “height and width and length”? Well, “length” is just one single measurement out of the total “height and width and length”.
Likewise: the difference between “time” and “spacetime” is that “time” is just one single measurement out of the total “spacetime”.
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Spacetime is just the realization that space and time are not distinct things. If someone asks you how far away the gas station is, you might say 30 minutes, or you might say 5 miles. Both convey the same information (essentially).
Try throwing a tennis ball in a high lob. Your friend catches it 4 seconds later.
Now try to throw it hard and fast to your friend. You cannot make it take 4 seconds.
Gravity acts on the ball, and the path it takes is directly related to time and the track it takes due to gravitational force.
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