Does Heat Affect the Weight of a Fork?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around whether a hot fork weighs more than a cold fork, exploring the relationship between temperature, particle motion, and mass. Participants examine this concept through theoretical and mathematical perspectives, touching on principles from relativity and energy-mass equivalence.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions if a hot fork would weigh more than a cold one, suggesting that faster-moving particles might contribute to the fork's net mass.
  • Another participant asserts that a hot object does weigh more than its cold counterpart, despite this not being commonly stated in relativity textbooks.
  • A mathematical formulation is presented, indicating that the energy of a body, which includes the kinetic energy of its constituents, contributes to its mass.
  • Some participants acknowledge that while the extra weight due to temperature is negligible in everyday contexts, it is still an interesting phenomenon worth discussing.
  • One participant emphasizes that the kinetic energy of nucleons contributes a measurable amount to the mass of an object.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that a hot fork weighs more than a cold one due to the kinetic energy of its particles, but the extent of this increase and its practical significance remains contested.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations regarding the assumptions made about the relationship between temperature, particle motion, and mass, as well as the scope of everyday applications where this effect might be negligible.

ergonomics
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There is something that has been puzzling me for a while, For its irrational reason.

Would a hot fork weigh more than it would cold?
I know that when particles move fast they accumlate mass.
But there is something that i am not sure about,
if they can add to the forks net mass
 
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Though I have never seen this written in a relativity textbook, I have concluded some time ago that yes, a hot object weights more than its cold counterpart.
 
The mass of a body is a measure of its energy, and the energy of a body is the sum of the energy of its consituants. So we have (with "f" standing for "fork"):

E_{f} = m_f c^2

and

E_f = \sum_i^n E_i = \sum_i^n (m_ic^2+K_i)[/itex]<br /> <br /> where we see that as the kinetic energy K_i of each particle making up the body increases, its energy increases, and hence its observed mass.
 
Thank my you friend

I could prove it mathematically as well but it really puzzled me if the movement of the subatomic particles would add to the net mass

If you are supporting this claim as well then i guess i got another witness
 
Of course the extra weight is negligable in your everyday usage. Correct me if I'm wrong.
 
You are right we are talking about speeds which barely approach any noticeable speed

But still is a very interesting thing that weight is gained by subatomic movements as well
 
Yes it weighs more. The kinetic energy of the nucleons in a nucleus contributes a measureable amount to its mass.
 

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