Thread: Observation and devices

Could space time affect a motorized clock more then an electric device? Imagine an old grandfather clock, that keeps time with gears, next to an electric alarm clock, keeps time with electrons, sitting next to each other and a gravity wave passes through. Would the distortion in space time be expressed more with the larger device?

i dont think the device would matter, a distortion in spacetime would effect all devices IN spacetime.

Here is my thought on why it would effect the devices differently. The first one, a granfather clock, depends on several trillion atoms per gear to maintain time. Each atom responding to the shift in space time, multiplying the effect, that makes it speed up or slow down. The force that is being translated onto movement of the hand on the dial, gravity, sub-divistion of each second from each link being kept by the timing gear and the seperation of the speed between minute hand and the hour hand is changed in the instant that a gravity wave passes though it. While an eletric clock operates on a smaller scale, it controls the passing of atoms. The former has a multitude of atoms per part while the latter depends on a fraction of matter to keep time. Wouldn't that make the grandfather clock more effected by a change in a base change to "constants" of the universe?

Firstly there needs to be a distinction between gravity and a gravitational wave. Gravity is the topology that exists outside of all mass. A gravitational wave is something produced by a changing gravitational field usually something like binary neutron stars or something like that. The effects are minimal but should be able to be detected with very precise instruments.

Now about the clocks. When space-time is warped. Time itself is moving slower. It has nothing to do with the clock. Anything that you are using to tell time will slow down. it is not the mechanism but time itself that is changing.

Originally Posted by Scott Phillips

Here is my thought on why it would effect the devices differently. The first one, a granfather clock, depends on several trillion atoms per gear to maintain time. Each atom responding to the shift in space time, multiplying the effect, that makes it speed up or slow down. The force that is being translated onto movement of the hand on the dial, gravity, sub-divistion of each second from each link being kept by the timing gear and the seperation of the speed between minute hand and the hour hand is changed in the instant that a gravity wave passes though it. While an eletric clock operates on a smaller scale, it controls the passing of atoms. The former has a multitude of atoms per part while the latter depends on a fraction of matter to keep time. Wouldn't that make the grandfather clock more effected by a change in a base change to "constants" of the universe?

I am sorry for the confutation between gravity and gravity waves; I meant gravity was part of the system of a mechanical clock not responsible for the change between the two. Here is a diagram that I think better explains my idea as to why a space/time distortion would alter one more then the other. The thing about size is more of a reference to hitting a barn blind folded and trying the same thing with a lemon.