Is There a Relationship Between Mass, Charge, and Energy in Our Universe?

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the relationship between mass, charge, and energy in the universe, exploring whether there is an equivalence similar to mass-energy equivalence for charged particles. Participants examine theoretical implications and seek to clarify concepts related to energy density, electromagnetic fields, and the nature of charge.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether a charged particle generates more total energy in the universe compared to a non-charged particle, and seeks clarification on the absence of a charge-energy equivalence.
  • Another participant argues that while energy due to mass accumulates, energy due to charge tends to cancel out, especially in systems with equal and opposite charges.
  • A participant introduces the idea of charge energy equivalence and references their own published paper on the topic, inviting further discussion.
  • One reply discusses the distinction between energy-momentum density and charge density in the context of general relativity, highlighting their different mathematical representations.
  • Another participant expresses interest in finding an equivalence between charge and total energy similar to mass-energy equivalence, suggesting a potential extension to energy-momentum relations.
  • A later reply mentions the concept of electromagnetic mass and suggests resources for further reading on the topic.
  • One participant notes that the relationship between energy and charge is influenced by the structure of the particle, not just its charge quantity.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the relationship between charge and energy, with no consensus reached on the existence of a charge-energy equivalence. The discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing perspectives presented.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference various theoretical frameworks, including general relativity and electromagnetic theory, but the discussion does not resolve the assumptions or definitions underlying these frameworks.

TMSxPhyFor
Messages
52
Reaction score
0
Hi All

A question that bothering me and I can't find answer for:

a charged particle in empty space will generate an electromagnetic field that has energy density and can be described by Energy-Momentum Tensor.

A non charged particle at rest also has energy due to mass energy equivalence.

so the total energy of our universe will be bigger if the particle is charged?!

if that true please explain why there is no kind of charge/energy equivalence like for mass.
But if that wrong, please explain from where our field gets the "extra" energy that it "radiates" (i.e photons)

Thx in advance for helping.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Hi TMSxPhyFor! :smile:

The energy-due-to-mass of all the particles in the universe adds up.

But the energy-due-to-charge of all the particles in the universe mostly cancels.

If there are two equal and opposite charges close together, the energy-due-to-charge is almost zero after a very short distance.
 
tiny-tim said:
Hi TMSxPhyFor! :smile:

The energy-due-to-mass of all the particles in the universe adds up.

But the energy-due-to-charge of all the particles in the universe mostly cancels.

If there are two equal and opposite charges close together, the energy-due-to-charge is almost zero after a very short distance.

I understand that you are talking about dipoles , but I mean if we imagine abstract empty universe with just one charged particle...
 
equivalence of energy and charge

Hello
I have had the same question regarding the possible equivalence between energy and charge. I recently published a paper on charge energy equivalence.
Let me know if you have found any definitive answer to this question.

db
 
What kind of equivalence are you looking for? In general relativity, (non-gravitational) energy-momentum density is codified in a symmetric tensor ##T_{ab}## whereas charge density and 3-current density are codified in a 4-vector ##j^a## (the energy-momentum tensor and 4-current density respectively) so clearly they are not even the same objects!

However there is a relationship between ##j^a## and ##T_{ab}## when the latter represents the energy-momentum density of an electromagnetic field ##F_{ab}##. In such a case, ##T_{ab}## is given by ##T_{ab} = \frac{1}{4\pi}(F_{ac}F_{b}{}{}^{c} - \frac{1}{4}g_{ab}F_{de}F^{de})## and one can easily show that ##\nabla^a T_{ab} = F_{ab}j^a## using Maxwell's equations ##\nabla^a F_{ab} = -4\pi j_b## and ##\nabla_{[a}F_{bc]} = 0##. This is nothing more than the general relativistic version of Poynting's theorem.

Indeed, we have that ##\nabla^a T_{ab} = \frac{1}{4\pi}(F_{b}{}{}^{c}\nabla^aF_{ac} + F_{ac}\nabla^a F_{b}{}{}^{c} - \frac{1}{2}F_{ac}\nabla_bF^{ac}) \\= -F_{bc}j^{c} + \frac{1}{8\pi}(F_{ac}\nabla^a F_{b}{}{}^{c} + F_{ac}\nabla^{c}F^{a}{}{}_{b} - F_{ac}\nabla_bF^{ac}) = F_{ab}j^{a}##
as desired.
 
Hello,
without getting into general relativity, I would like to get an equivalence between charge quantity of a particle like electron and its total energy in a rest frame. similar to what e=mc^2 for a particle with m mass.
further, this should be able to extend to an energy-momentum relation, as in the case of a mass particle, where E^2=(mc^2)^2 + (pc)^2.
 
Oh, certainly there exists something of that nature but not exactly as you have posed it. See here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_mass

Check out Schwartz "Principles of Electrodynamics" pp.200-203 for a discussion/derivation of the electromagnetic mass.
 
Hi,
well, when it comes to E=mc^2, the energy is a function of the mass quantity but not based on its structure. However the one that you have pointed out is not just a function of the charge associated with the particle, but also with its structure terms like radius.
If you have little time, you could go through this paper that I published, titled "On the Planck Scale Potential Associated with Particles" and give your feedback.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dinesh_Bulathsinghala/?ev=prf_highl
thanks
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Similar threads

  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
3K
Replies
3
Views
1K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 21 ·
Replies
21
Views
3K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
3K
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
3K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K