A review of the explanations to the twin paradox

Abstract

The Twin Paradox is a representative problem in special relativity. It proposed a problem that from a spacecraft that is moving at a speed close to light, the earths time will be slower; in contrast, the earth will also consider the time of the spacecraft slower. However, this paradoxs solution can expand beyond the special relativity and Lorentz transformation. Basically, the seeming paradox can be solved using the period when the spacecraft turns around. Therefore, it can be considered a good way to have a better understanding of relativity. In this paper, this paradox is explained in three ways: the Lorentz transformation, the Minkowski geometry, a special geometry including both space and time, which is proposed to have a better explanation of the special relativity and gravitational time dilation in general relativity, and will also expand to other effects in relativity, such as the gravitational redshift. This paper hopes to offer some references for a better understanding of the Twin Paradox.