Could Negative Mass Particles Really Repel Each Other?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the hypothetical behavior of particles with negative mass, particularly focusing on their interactions with positive mass particles. Participants explore the implications of negative mass in classical mechanics and the resulting forces and accelerations in various scenarios.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that if a positive mass particle (A) and a negative mass particle (B) have equal and opposite masses, they should repel each other, as indicated by the negative force calculated using F=G. (M.-m)/r^2.
  • Others discuss the implications of using a negative mass in the equation F = ma, suggesting that the force from the positive mass would point away from it, while the negative mass would still accelerate towards the positive mass, leading to counterintuitive behavior.
  • One participant emphasizes that the behavior of negative mass is largely unknown, as all current physical laws are based on the assumption that mass is always positive, and any predictions about negative mass must consider this limitation.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying interpretations of how negative mass would behave in theoretical scenarios, with no consensus reached on the outcomes or implications of such interactions.

Contextual Notes

The discussion highlights the limitations of current physical laws in addressing the concept of negative mass, as well as the dependence on classical mechanics for understanding these hypothetical interactions.

Allen_Wolf
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If we imagine two particles A and B. A has positive mass and B has negative mass and initial velocity 0. This happens in a non interfering environment . If both theses has opposite and equal value of mass, shouldn't they be repelling each other?
F=G. (M.-m)/r^2. Value of F should be negative.
 
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Allen_Wolf said:
If we imagine two particles A and B. A gas positive mass and B has negative mass and initial velocity 0. This happens in a non interfering environment . If both theses has opposite and equal value of mass, shouldn't they be repelling each other?
F=G. (M.-m)/r^2. Value of F should be negative.
Do you have a link to a journal article that discusses negative mass? That would be a big help. Thanks.
 
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If you use a negative m in F = ma as well, things get truly bizarre. The force of gravity from rgw positive mass on the negative points away from the positive mass, but the negative mass accelerates towards the positive mass anyway, because the acceleration will now be in the opposite direction of the force. The positive mass is also repelled and this one does accelerate away.
 
Allen_Wolf said:
If we imagine two particles A and B. A gas positive mass and B has negative mass and initial velocity 0. This happens in a non interfering environment . If both theses has opposite and equal value of mass, shouldn't they be repelling each other?
F=G. (M.-m)/r^2. Value of F should be negative.

According to classical mechanics the distance would increase for negative total mass, decrease for positive total mass and remain constant for zero total mass. Both particles would be accelerated in the same direction.
 
Allen_Wolf said:
If both theses has opposite and equal value of mass, shouldn't they be repelling each other?

We can try to use negative mass in our equations and see what comes out, but the reality is that we have utterly no idea what would happen if negative mass existed. All of our laws are based on mass always being positive. Any claim that particles with negative mass will behave a certain way needs to be understood as having an implicit assumption that you can describe the behavior of particles with negative mass with our current laws. That assumption may or may not be true.
 

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