Undergrad Do objects appear heavier if they run over a scale very fast

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The discussion revolves around a thought experiment comparing an electric tram and a battery-powered motorbike moving at relativistic speeds over a scale. It is argued that the tram, as an open system, would appear heavier due to its energy source, while the motorbike, a closed system, would maintain constant mass. Participants clarify that the scale measures the energy of the moving object, which is influenced by its speed and frame of reference, rather than its rest mass. The conversation also touches on the negligible energy transfer to the Earth during acceleration and the complexities of relativistic mass. Ultimately, the conclusion emphasizes the distinction between mass and the weight measured by the scale under relativistic conditions.
  • #31
For any such effect to be measurable you would probably have to be running faster than any human has ever travelled, even in a space rocket, and the pan of your
scales would obviously have be of ENORMOUS length!
 

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