One-Minute Physics: Why GPS is just a clock in space

Thanks to GPS, planes, cars and cellphones can quickly be guided to any destination. The system uses a network of satellites, but how do they relay the correct coordinates from space?

In our latest One-Minute Physics episode, animator Henry Reich explains why GPS is just a big clock in space. By communicating with four time-keeping satellites, a GPS device can determine its exact position - but that's after it corrects for the effects of general relativity.
New Scientist TV (c)

Category:

Science & Technology

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• One-Minute
• Physics:
• Why
• GPS
• is
• just
• clock
• in
• space

[cattywilde]

my pleasure 321bytor :)

[xECHOSEVENx]

wait so say someone who lives up in the mountains has a clock and then a month later comes down to visit their relatives does that mean that they are going back in time?

[321bytor]

Very good, thank you