Does Gravitational Time Dilation imply mass change?

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Gravitational Time Dilation suggests that an oscillating system at height H above Earth oscillates at a higher frequency than at ground level. This leads to the conclusion that the oscillator at height H possesses more energy, implying, through E=mc^2, that it has increased mass compared to the identical oscillator at ground level. However, some argue that invoking General Relativity (GR) is unnecessary for this discussion, as energy states, such as an excited atom, do not equate to increased mass. The distinction between mass and energy is emphasized, noting that while physicists may use mass-energy interchangeably, the general public often misunderstands this relationship. The conversation highlights the complexities of interpreting mass and energy in the context of gravitational effects.
johne1618
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According to Einstein's Gravitational Time Dilation, if an oscillating physical system is elevated to a height H above the Earth then in oscillates at a higher frequency than the same system at ground level.

According to Planck's relation between Energy and frequency this must mean that the oscillator at height H must have more energy, and thus by E=mc^2, must have more mass than the identical oscillator at ground level.

Is this true?
 
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johne1618 said:
According to Einstein's Gravitational Time Dilation, if an oscillating physical system is elevated to a height H above the Earth then in oscillates at a higher frequency than the same system at ground level.

According to Planck's relation between Energy and frequency this must mean that the oscillator at height H must have more energy, and thus by E=mc^2, must have more mass than the identical oscillator at ground level.

Is this true?

That "m" is the rest mass.

I'm not sure why you need to invoke GR in this case. Why not also look at an atom in an excited state? Is the fact that an excited atom has more energy means that it has more "mass"?

Mass is not energy, and energy is not mass (there are already tons of threads on this issue on here). That Einstein equation is a conversion formula of going from one to the other. Why physicists are known to use mass-energy interchangeably, the general public has no such ability since they are often ignorant of what goes on under the covers.

Zz.
 
In this video I can see a person walking around lines of curvature on a sphere with an arrow strapped to his waist. His task is to keep the arrow pointed in the same direction How does he do this ? Does he use a reference point like the stars? (that only move very slowly) If that is how he keeps the arrow pointing in the same direction, is that equivalent to saying that he orients the arrow wrt the 3d space that the sphere is embedded in? So ,although one refers to intrinsic curvature...

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