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Why to large things seem to move slower

 
 
Reply Wed 6 Jan, 2016 04:44 pm
Just been thinking about somethjng. I imagined there was a giant ticking clock in the sky, so big that it covers the whole sky. Then, I would have a small watch in my hand.

Each second the clock ticks in the sky, should tick the same as my small clock, right? But surely it would seem to move slower? If not.. Then it would be moving insanely fast, right? And it would cover a large distance in that speed.

I can't imagine that the ticks would move at the same speed, in my small clock, and the giant clock... So mainly, would they both move at the same speed, but the larger clock would cover more distance in the same speed??

Just making my mind hurt trying to think about it. I don't study science or anything so just consider me a curious ameture Smile

Any answers would put my mind to rest thanks!

Oli
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Type: Question • Score: 2 • Views: 1,579 • Replies: 6

 
cicerone imposter
 
  1  
Reply Wed 6 Jan, 2016 05:21 pm
@Chance-uk,
It's an optical illusion. The mind plays tricks on us often. I remember seeing a Boeing 747 while visiting Seattle many decades ago when the plane was still uncommon. It seemed to be floating rather than moving in the air. So your observation is not unique.
Chance-uk
 
  1  
Reply Wed 6 Jan, 2016 08:17 pm
@cicerone imposter,
Why would it be unique..?

But both clocks should take a second to tick, but when one is x1000 larger then the other, surely the bigger would travel more distance on its tick than the smaller one, I get that the ratio is the same, but it still takes a second to travel the hand a huge distance? I'm not sure if I'm explaining it correclty.

Similar to as if the hand on my small clock was so long it reached to ozone layer, each time the second ticks, the distance it will travel on each tick would be massive, yet it only takes a second?
cicerone imposter
 
  1  
Reply Wed 6 Jan, 2016 10:27 pm
@Chance-uk,
Because size doesn't matter; one second is one second.
0 Replies
 
FBM
 
  5  
Reply Thu 7 Jan, 2016 07:11 am
The larger I get, the slower I move. I don't think it's an illusion. I'm pretty damn sure of it.
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Blickers
 
  2  
Reply Fri 8 Jan, 2016 09:29 am
@Chance-uk,
Of course, if you have a non-digital small clock and you put your eye right up to it, the second hand will seem to be covering more distance because your entire view is taken up by the clock. While if you viewed the small clock from six feet away, the second hand will seem to cover only a small distance.

Is there a point to this?
cicerone imposter
 
  2  
Reply Fri 8 Jan, 2016 08:18 pm
@Blickers,
Yes. Visuals play with our senses in mysterious ways.
0 Replies
 
 

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