Can an Electron's Mass Change?

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In summary, there is a clearly defined electron rest mass and electrons in higher energy levels have more energy than those in lower levels. The equation e=mc^2 shows the mass-energy equivalence, indicating that electrons in different levels may have different masses. However, according to the modern acceptance of the term "mass", there is only one type: rest/invariant mass. This means that the mass of an electron remains constant and cannot change. The mass of an entire system, such as an atom, depends on the energy level of the electron and is not simply the sum of its individual components.
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It's my understanding that there is a clearly defined electron rest mass. In atoms, electrons in higher energy levels have a larger amount of energy than electrons in lower energy levels. I think e=mc^2 shows mass-energy equivalence. So seeing all of this, I thought that electrons' masses in different levels must be different. Is this true?
I've also read that the electron's mass cannot change, or else the universe would be completely different, if not completely disappear. So my question is, can an electron's mass change?
 
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According to the modern acceptance of the term <mass>, there's only one type: rest/invariant mass. The adjective <invariant> tells pretty much all there is to say. For outdated usage of the term <mass>, see the FAQ: https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/what-is-relativistic-mass-and-why-is-it-not-used-much.783220/ [Broken]
 
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  • #3
The mass of the whole system (electron+nucleus) depends on the energy level of the electron.
The mass of the electron is always the individual particle and constant.
 
  • #4
In general, the mass of a composite system (e.g. an atom) does not equal the sum of the masses of its individual components. For example, the mass of a hydrogen atom equals the mass of the proton plus the mass of the electron minus the mass-equivalent of the binding energy of the system.
 

1. Can an electron's mass change over time?

Yes, an electron's mass can change over time due to interactions with other particles or energy fields.

2. How does an electron's mass change?

An electron's mass can change through processes such as absorption or emission of photons, interactions with other particles such as protons or neutrons, or through interactions with energy fields such as the Higgs field.

3. Does an electron's mass change with its velocity?

No, an electron's mass remains constant regardless of its velocity. However, its energy and momentum can change with velocity due to relativistic effects.

4. Can an electron's mass change when it is in a different environment?

Yes, an electron's mass can change in different environments due to interactions with different particles or energy fields present in that environment.

5. Is it possible for an electron's mass to change permanently?

In classical physics, an electron's mass is considered constant. However, in quantum mechanics, the concept of mass is more complex and can change temporarily or even permanently through certain processes such as pair production or annihilation.

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