According to the theory of relativity, specifically the special theory of relativity formulated by Albert Einstein, time dilation occurs when an object is moving relative to another object at speeds close to the speed of light. Time dilation means that time appears to pass slower for the moving object as observed by an observer in a relatively stationary frame of reference.
If you were traveling at speeds approaching the speed of light, your clocks would appear to run slower relative to clocks on Earth as observed by an observer on Earth. This phenomenon is known as time dilation.
To provide a more concrete example, let's say you embark on a journey through space in a spacecraft traveling near the speed of light while simultaneously carrying a clock. During your journey, you would experience time passing normally from your perspective. However, when you return to Earth and compare the time shown on your clock with the time on Earth, you would find that your clock has ticked fewer times than the clocks on Earth.
This effect occurs because the speed of light is constant in all frames of reference, and the theory of relativity predicts that the perception of time passing is relative to the observer's frame of reference. As you approach the speed of light, your frame of reference differs significantly from the relatively stationary frame of Earth, resulting in time dilation.
It's important to note that reaching the speed of light itself is not currently feasible for objects with mass, as it would require infinite energy. The explanation provided assumes a hypothetical scenario for understanding the principles of relativity.