Does inertia apply to everything in the universe? Even subatomic?

In summary, inertia applies to everything in the universe, including subatomic particles. Mass is a measure of inertia and it requires force to accelerate an object. Photons, gluons, and the graviton (if it exists) are currently believed to be the only massless particles, while neutrinos have a very small mass. It is possible for a particle to move without having kinetic energy, as in the case of photons moving at a constant vacuum speed.
  • #1
Quantumgravity
18
0
Does inertia apply to EVERYTHING in the universe? Even subatomic particles? Or is there a certain mass limit where something no longer has the property of inertia?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Mass is inertia.
 
  • #3
Quantumgravity said:
Does inertia apply to EVERYTHING in the universe? Even subatomic particles? Or is there a certain mass limit where something no longer has the property of inertia?

No, anything that has mass has inertia, as Russ said above. Of course, there are some particles which physicists believe do not have mass. Neutrinos are an example that comes to mind.
 
  • #4
Does inertia just mean that it takes energy to move a mass?
 
  • #5
Quantumgravity said:
Does inertia just mean that it takes energy to move a mass?

"Energy" isn't the right word, but you're moving in the right direction (no pun intended). It's possible for a particle to move without having kinetic energy. Photons, for example, move at a constant vacuum speed c. If an object has inertia, this means that force is required to accelerate it. Newton's Second Law tells us that mass is a resistance to force. So some constant force, when applied to objects of higher mass, will impart less acceleration to them. Thus, you could say that inertia is a measure of how much force is required to accelerate an object at a given rate.
 
  • #6
Thanks. That clears it up.
But why don't photons have kinetic energy?
 
  • #7
arunma said:
Of course, there are some particles which physicists believe do not have mass. Neutrinos are an example that comes to mind.

Nope, for the past several years it's been widely accepted that neutrinos do have a very small mass (a few eV or less). It's studied via neutrino oscillations.

The only massless particles now, so far as I know, are the photon, the gluons, and the graviton (if it exists).
 
  • #8
jtbell said:
Nope, for the past several years it's been widely accepted that neutrinos do have a very small mass (a few eV or less). It's studied via neutrino oscillations.

The only massless particles now, so far as I know, are the photon, the gluons, and the graviton (if it exists).

Oops, looks like I missed the memo! Thanks.
 
  • #9
But why don't photons have kinetic energy?

I wonder to know why too. I thought photons do have kinetic energy equals to their momentum times the speed of light. Is it correct? Thanks.
 

Related to Does inertia apply to everything in the universe? Even subatomic?

1. What is inertia and how does it apply to the universe?

Inertia is a property of matter that describes its resistance to changes in motion. This means that an object will stay at rest or continue moving in a straight line, unless acted upon by an external force. In the universe, inertia plays a crucial role in the movement and behavior of all objects, from planets and stars to subatomic particles.

2. Does inertia apply to all objects in the universe?

Yes, inertia applies to all objects in the universe. This includes both macroscopic objects, such as planets and galaxies, as well as microscopic objects, such as atoms and subatomic particles. Inertia is a fundamental property of matter and is observed at all scales in the universe.

3. How does inertia affect the movement of objects in the universe?

Inertia determines how objects will behave when a force is applied to them. If an object has a large inertia, it will require a greater force to change its motion compared to an object with a smaller inertia. This is why it is more difficult to change the motion of larger objects, such as planets, compared to smaller objects, such as baseballs.

4. Does inertia apply to subatomic particles?

Yes, inertia applies to subatomic particles as well. Although they are incredibly small, subatomic particles still have mass and therefore exhibit inertia. In fact, the concept of inertia was first observed and studied in relation to the movement of subatomic particles.

5. Can inertia be observed in everyday life?

Yes, inertia can be observed in many everyday situations. For example, when a car suddenly stops, passengers inside will continue to move forward due to their inertia, until they are stopped by the seatbelt or airbag. Similarly, when a ball is thrown, it will continue to move in a straight line until it is acted upon by gravity or friction. These are just a few examples of how inertia affects objects in our daily lives.

Similar threads

  • Mechanics
Replies
6
Views
1K
Replies
1
Views
1K
Replies
69
Views
4K
Replies
2
Views
2K
Replies
10
Views
1K
  • Mechanics
Replies
22
Views
2K
Replies
13
Views
1K
Replies
24
Views
2K
  • Mechanics
Replies
4
Views
1K
  • Classical Physics
2
Replies
49
Views
2K
Back
Top