ok, so i think i have a vague idea of what special relativity is about but i have some issues. So using the two plates with light rebounding between them analogy, if the train accelerates and the light has to travel further because it is travelling diagonally to catch up with the moving plate- well, the light may appear to be travelling between the plates more slowly but it's not really- it just has to cover more distance, the distance caused by the acceleration of the train. So why would time have to slow down for the person on the train to perceive it as going at the same speed? i mean, what does the light care what the person thinks? it is going at the same speed technically isn't it? it's just travelling between the plates in a direction that takes longer and therefore appears slower? i dont know- sorry, please explain, i dont really understand how the hell time itself can slow down anyway- i mean, does time really even exist? if nothing existed then technically there would be no time because there is no change. isn't time really just measured by change? if everything speeds up around us we'd think time has sped up, but really change is just occuring more quickly. Sorry i dont really get it all- can someone help me out?

Welcome to BAUT!

Light does not slow down, the perceived speed of the train does.

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Any day you wake up on "the right side of the dirt" is a good day.

T. Anderson

but what about time? tell me about time! i dont get the deal with time!

You seem to be asking for a complete tutorial on modern physics. Not just this post, but all (3 so far) posts in both threads you have started!

__________________
Any day you wake up on "the right side of the dirt" is a good day.

T. Anderson

Time is more a perception than a dimension, I think.

You are asking about Time Dilation.
Essentially, the faster you go, the more your clock would appear to slow down to an outside observer. However, to you- you would perceive no change in your perception of time.

Here is a quick YouTube video...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHjpBjgIMVk