Certainly! To explain why gravity causes time dilation without invoking Einstein's theory of general relativity and curved space-time geometry, we can turn to the principles of special relativity. Special relativity deals with the behavior of objects in the absence of gravitational effects.
In special relativity, time dilation occurs when an observer's motion relative to another observer or a gravitational field affects the passage of time. According to the theory, time is not an absolute concept, but rather a dimension that is intertwined with space to form the fabric of space-time.
Gravity, as described by Isaac Newton's law of universal gravitation, arises due to the attraction between masses. When we have a massive object like a planet or a star, it creates a gravitational field around it. Within this field, objects experience a gravitational force that depends on their mass and distance from the massive object.
To explain time dilation caused by gravity, let's consider a scenario involving a massive object like a planet. Suppose we have two observers: one near the massive object and another located farther away. These observers each have their own clocks, and we want to compare the passage of time between them.
According to special relativity, the observer closer to the massive object will experience a stronger gravitational field than the observer farther away. As a result, the clock of the observer closer to the planet will "tick" slower compared to the clock of the observer farther away.
This time dilation occurs because gravity affects the fabric of space-time itself. The presence of a gravitational field causes space and time to become curved or warped. Consequently, the path of light traveling through this curved space-time gets altered, leading to the observed time dilation effect.
Although this explanation doesn't delve into the full mathematical formalism and detailed implications of general relativity, it provides a simplified understanding of why gravity causes time dilation within the framework of special relativity. Einstein's general theory of relativity provides a more comprehensive and accurate description of gravity, explaining it as the curvature of space-time caused by the presence of mass and energy.