Does Gravitational Time Dilation imply mass change?

Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The forum discussion centers on the implications of Einstein's Gravitational Time Dilation in relation to mass change. It asserts that an oscillating physical system elevated to a height H above Earth oscillates at a higher frequency, resulting in increased energy according to Planck's relation. Consequently, this increase in energy suggests that the oscillator at height H possesses greater mass, as described by the equation E=mc². However, the conversation also highlights the distinction between mass and energy, emphasizing that mass is not energy and vice versa, which is often misunderstood by the general public.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Einstein's Gravitational Time Dilation
  • Familiarity with Planck's relation between energy and frequency
  • Knowledge of the mass-energy equivalence principle (E=mc²)
  • Basic concepts of atomic energy states
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the implications of Gravitational Time Dilation on physical systems
  • Study Planck's relation and its applications in quantum mechanics
  • Explore the differences between mass and energy in physics
  • Investigate the concept of excited states in atomic physics
USEFUL FOR

Physicists, students of theoretical physics, and anyone interested in the relationship between energy, mass, and gravitational effects.

johne1618
Messages
368
Reaction score
0
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?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
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.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 46 ·
2
Replies
46
Views
5K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
1K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • · Replies 37 ·
2
Replies
37
Views
6K
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
2K
  • · Replies 230 ·
8
Replies
230
Views
21K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • · Replies 35 ·
2
Replies
35
Views
6K
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
3K