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Specialty Chemistry Forums => Nuclear Chemistry and Radiochemistry Forum => Topic started by: Gxb217 on November 11, 2012, 09:38:01 PM

Title: Energy vs. Mass
Post by: Gxb217 on November 11, 2012, 09:38:01 PM
If energy is directly related to mass through E=MC^2, then how can an electron or particle gain energy without an increase in mass?

Does it has to do with the kinetic versus potential energy?
Title: Re: Energy vs. Mass
Post by: ATMyller on November 12, 2012, 02:50:11 AM
Mass is not the only form of energy. A particle can gain energy by other means than just mass increase.
Title: Re: Energy vs. Mass
Post by: Borek on November 12, 2012, 04:10:58 AM
If energy is directly related to mass through E=MC^2, then how can an electron or particle gain energy without an increase in mass?

Rest (or invariant) mass is constant. Relativistic mass is the one that gets larger when the particle gains speed. So yes, fast particles are heavier.
Title: Re: Energy vs. Mass
Post by: Gxb217 on November 12, 2012, 10:26:55 PM
Borek,
Thank you very much. I was able to make the connection between this and kinetic energy in physics and that solved my questions

Gxb217
Title: Re: Energy vs. Mass
Post by: Enthalpy on November 14, 2012, 08:17:20 AM
Any form of energy gain results in a mass increase. Not only for particles.
But only concentrated forms of energy make a substantial variation that is perceivable or numerically usable: strong force, nuclear electrostatic repulsion, relativistic speed...
Title: Re: Energy vs. Mass
Post by: lucerosoliz on December 05, 2012, 06:45:08 AM
Mass–energy equivalence states that any object has a certain energy, even when it is stationary.