Does potential energy have measurable corresponding mass?

In summary, potential energy increases an object's mass, such as a charged battery being slightly more massive than a dead battery. However, there is a limit to how much potential energy can be stored in a system, requiring additional components to increase it further.
  • #1
graciousgroove
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When a rubber band is stretched, or a battery is charged, or two massive objects are separated, the potential energy of all these systems increases in each situation. Now say that any of these systems were suspended in space. If we were to measure the gravitational field of the uncharged battery, and then charge the battery (for the sake of simplicity, let's say we can charge the battery without changing its center of mass) would the charged battery have a stronger gravitational field because the total energy of the system has been increased??

If this were true, wouldn't it be hypothetically possible to create an arbitrarily massive system, simply by arranging the components of that system in a way that is very complicated and contains a lot of potential energy?
 
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  • #2
Yes, potential energy increases the mass of an object. For example, a charged battery is slightly more massive than a dead battery. During discharge, that potential energy is turned into another form and leaves the battery, so there must be less total energy in a discharged battery than a charged one, resulting in a decrease in mass.

I don't believe you can create an "arbitrarily" massive system, as you can only fit so much potential energy into anyone system. To increase it further you would need to keep adding more parts.
 

1. Does potential energy have mass?

Yes, potential energy does have mass. According to Einstein's famous equation E=mc², energy and mass are interchangeable. This means that any form of energy, including potential energy, has a corresponding mass.

2. How is the mass of potential energy measured?

The mass of potential energy can be measured indirectly by calculating the amount of potential energy present and using the equation E=mc² to determine its mass. However, since potential energy is a property of an object rather than a physical substance, it does not have a specific mass that can be measured directly.

3. Is potential energy always equal to its corresponding mass?

No, potential energy and mass are not always equal. The amount of potential energy an object has depends on its position and the force acting on it, while mass is a measure of the amount of matter in an object. Therefore, an object with a small mass may have a large amount of potential energy if it is positioned in a way that maximizes its potential energy.

4. Can potential energy be converted into mass?

Yes, potential energy can be converted into mass under certain conditions. This is known as pair production and occurs when a high-energy photon (a particle of light) is converted into an electron and its antiparticle, a positron. This process requires a large amount of energy and is only observed in very high-energy environments such as particle accelerators or in the aftermath of a supernova explosion.

5. How does the concept of potential energy relate to the concept of mass?

The concept of potential energy is closely related to the concept of mass through the famous equation E=mc². This equation shows that energy and mass are equivalent and can be converted into each other. This means that any object with mass also has a corresponding amount of potential energy, and vice versa.

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