Is it possible for pure energy to have mass?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the concept of whether pure energy can possess mass and form a gravitational entity. It is established that photons, while having momentum, do not have rest mass and cannot be classified as pure energy. The notion of "pure energy" is dismissed as a fictional concept, emphasizing that energy is a property associated with objects or systems. The conversation references Matt Strassler's work on mass-energy relationships, highlighting that energy, like momentum and charge, cannot exist independently of a physical system.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of photon properties and behavior
  • Familiarity with mass-energy equivalence principles
  • Knowledge of basic physics concepts such as momentum and charge
  • Awareness of scientific terminology related to energy and mass
NEXT STEPS
  • Explore the concept of mass-energy equivalence in detail
  • Study the properties and behaviors of photons in quantum mechanics
  • Investigate the implications of invariant mass in particle physics
  • Read Matt Strassler's articles on mass and energy relationships
USEFUL FOR

Physics students, educators, and anyone interested in the fundamental principles of energy and mass in the context of particle physics.

ARC123
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When I ask about mass, I am really asking is it remotely possible for pure energy to have mass and possible become so dense it forms a ball with its own gravitational pull. This pull keeps the energy in a ball.
 
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Photon has mass as well as momentum but no rest mass so it can treat it as pure energy.
 
Energy is not a substance. "Pure energy" is a creation of science fiction writers.
 
Vanadium 50 said:
Energy is not a substance. "Pure energy" is a creation of science fiction writers.
So than that makes photons the most basic form of energy or just one of the many types of energy like electromagnetic and kinetic?
 
Energy is a property of an object or system, like momentum, angular momentum, mass, and charge. There is no such thing as "pure energy" not associated with an object or system, just like there is no such thing as "pure momentum" or "pure charge."
 
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A pair of photons that whose momenta are not parallel could be considered to be a system consisting of "pure energy" and nonetheless have a non-zero invariant mass.
 

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