Can a Sealed Device Increase Weight Continuously in the Direction of Gravity?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the theoretical possibility of a sealed device, referred to as the "red box," that can increase its weight continuously in the direction of gravity. Participants conclude that while the device can momentarily increase its weight by utilizing energy (as described by E=mc²), it cannot do so continuously without violating Newton's laws. The consensus is that any increase in weight requires external mass addition or energy input, which must come from outside the system. Ultimately, the red box cannot achieve continuous weight increase solely through internal mechanisms.

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aladinlamp
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Imagine red box as a fully enclosed device powered by electricity

when turned off, it weighs 5kg, it is pushing down with force cca 49 Newtons

when turned on, it would weight more, let's say 6kg, pushing down with force cca 58.86 Newtons

is it in theory possible to make such device, increasing its weight continuously in the direction of gravity ?
 
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Not continuously. That would break Newton's laws. You could put a vertically oscillating mass inside but the average weight would be the same.
 
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aladinlamp said:
Imagine red box as a fully enclosed device powered by electricity

when turned off, it weighs 5kg, it is pushing down with force cca 49 Newtons

when turned on, it would weight more, let's say 6kg, pushing down with force cca 58.86 Newtons

is it in theory possible to make such device, increasing its weight in the direction of gravity ?

There is not. Unless you add mass to the box from outside of this system, then there is no way for its weight to increase.
 
aladinlamp said:
is it in theory possible to make such device, increasing its weight continuously in the direction of gravity ?
Yes, if you pump energy into it, you can increase its mass: E=mc2
 
A.T. said:
Yes, if you pump energy into it, you can increase its mass: E=mc2

To clarify for the OP, this energy must come from outside of the box or it would already be included in the boxes mass.
 
Drakkith said:
To clarify for the OP, this energy must come from outside of the box or it would already be included in the boxes mass.
Right, If "fully enclosed" means powered by energy already stored inside, then it won't work.
 
A.T. said:
Yes, if you pump energy into it, you can increase its mass: E=mc2
Thats not for the theory that if you put energy on it, e=mc^2 is that mass have an large energy by itself.
 
CWatters said:
Not continuously. That would break Newton's laws. You could put a vertically oscillating mass inside but the average weight would be the same.
Thats True
 
FL0R1 said:
Thats not for the theory that if you put energy on it, e=mc^2 is that mass have an large energy by itself.
e=mc^2 works both ways: mass has energy and energy has mass.
 
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  • #10
russ_watters said:
e=mc^2 works both ways: mass has energy and energy has mass.
Yes it is, but in this case he powered the red box with electricity so it would electrical energy not relativity energy you saying, these are different notations :D..
 
  • #11
FL0R1 said:
Yes it is, but in this case he powered the red box with electricity so it would electrical energy not relativity energy you saying, these are different notations :D..
The equation does not have any such caveats. Energy has mass. Period. If you increase the energy in the box, its mass goes up.
 
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  • #12
russ_watters said:
The equation does not have any such caveats. Energy has mass. Period. If you increase the energy in the box, its mass goes up.
I agree on what you are saying but here we should not mention the e= mc^2 because that's not for electrical energy , are you understaning what i want to sayy.
I know that if we put energy its mass goes up , i agree with that.
 
  • #13
FL0R1 said:
I agree on what you are saying but here we should not mention the e= mc^2 because that's not for electrical energy , are you understaning what i want to sayy.
I know that if we put energy its mass goes up , i agree with that.
I don't think you do understand, because you are contradicting yourself and me. E=mc^2 is for all types of energy, including electrical energy. It has no caveats specifying what type of energy it works for.

Note also, the OP does not describe if any kind of energy conversion exists in the device. It may be a flywheel spinning-up or it may be a battery or it may just be getting hot. Regardless of what type of energy it stores, E=mc^2 works the same way.
 
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  • #14
russ_watters said:
I don't think you do understand, because you are contradicting yourself and me. E=mc^2 is for all types of energy, including electrical energy. It has no caveats specifying what type of energy it works for.

Note also, the OP does not describe if any kind of energy conversion exists in the device. It may be a flywheel spinning-up or it may be a battery or it may just be getting hot. Regardless of what type of energy it stores, E=mc^2 works the same way.

Imagine red box as a fully enclosed device powered by electricity.. <-- Electricity. i don't have nothing more to say..
 
  • #15
FL0R1 said:
Imagine red box as a fully enclosed device powered by electricity.. <-- Electricity. i don't have nothing more to say..
What I meant was that once the electricity gets into the box, we don't know if it is converted to another type of energy.

I really can't tell here if you are not understanding or are being argumentative. I don't think what I am saying is hard to understand.
 
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  • #16
russ_watters said:
What I meant was that once the electricity gets into the box, we don't know if it is converted to another type of energy.

I really can't tell here if you are not understanding or are being argumentative. I don't think what I am saying is hard to understand.

No, what are you saying isn't hard to understand for me but is for others, here i tried to explain in a view of a beginners
 
  • #17
FL0R1 said:
electrical energy not relativity energy
Energy is energy, as Russ said. If you store more and more energy in the box, the mass of the box will increase.
 
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  • #18
A.T. said:
Energy is energy, as Russ said. If you store more and more energy in the box, the mass of the box will increase.
I know that
 
  • #19
Adding electrical energy as you like, still you can't make such a device, you need A LOT, yes A LOT of energy to be able to make few grams, unless you power it with bunch if nuclear reactors, electric energy is motion if charged particle, these charges move inside the box, so E = mc^2 would work here, and the box can catch up some electrons but again you'll never be able to add kgs,so sorry for disappointement !
 
  • #20
I guess you could arrange things so that your red box has an ion drive attached to the top of it, powered by the boxes internal battery.
While drive is operational it would provide an acceleration in addition to gravity this increasing the apparent weight.
However once the ion drive is turned off the box should be lighter than it was previously since some of it's mass (the engine propellant) will have been lost,
 
  • #21
The point is the red box is a sealed system so the ions could not escape. If you remove that restriction you could strap anything on the top like a liquid fuel rocket, grasshopper trap, rainwater collector...
 

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