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I'm a little bit confused about the nature of symmetrical reference frames and how they relate to time dilation. To clarify my question, I've written a scenario.

Bob stands on a platform as a train moving at some high velocity goes by. He observes that while his own watch measures 10 seconds elapsed, the train's clock measures 15 seconds elapsed. The train stops, its clock 5 seconds ahead of Bob's.

However, since from the train's point of view, Bob was moving at the same velocity, the passengers measure his watch to have measured 15 seconds while their clock measures 10. When the train stops, Bob's watch is ahead of the train's clock by 5 seconds.

How are these reconciled?

SquarerootSquirrel
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  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_paradox –  Sep 30 '15 at 00:18
  • You've got the sense wrong. Bob observes that while his watch advances by 15 seconds the clock on the train only advances by 10. But at the same time passengers on the train observe that while their clock advances by 15 seconds, Bob's watch only advances by 10 second. To reconcile the two views you have to compare the two time pieces when they meet again. – dmckee --- ex-moderator kitten Sep 30 '15 at 00:20
  • But there are many time dilation question on the site already. This http://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/10656/why-dont-two-observers-clocks-measure-the-same-time-between-the-same-events is only one of them. The whole sidebar is full of them. – dmckee --- ex-moderator kitten Sep 30 '15 at 00:21

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