Storing Energy in a Rubber Band: Does Mass Increase?

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SUMMARY

When a rubber band is stretched, it stores elastic potential energy, which results in a measurable increase in mass. This phenomenon is analogous to a charged battery, which weighs slightly more than a discharged one due to stored energy. The discussion emphasizes that the energy stored in the stretched rubber band contributes to its mass, confirming that energy and mass are interrelated as per Einstein's mass-energy equivalence principle.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Einstein's mass-energy equivalence principle
  • Basic knowledge of elastic potential energy
  • Familiarity with the concept of mass measurement
  • Experience with energy storage in physical systems
NEXT STEPS
  • Calculate the mass increase of a stretched rubber band using elastic potential energy formulas
  • Explore the relationship between energy storage and mass in charged batteries
  • Investigate other materials that exhibit similar mass-energy relationships
  • Study the implications of mass-energy equivalence in practical applications
USEFUL FOR

Physics students, materials scientists, and anyone interested in the principles of energy storage and mass measurement.

deadcat
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Does this mean if I had a rubber band and weighed it, then stretched and weighed it while being stretched out, that it would weigh more at that time? Since at that time it has stored energy, which equates to mass?
 
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Yes, that is what it means. And a charged battery will weigh slightly more than discharged battery, and so forth.

It is a worthwhile exercise to calculate just how much mass increase we're talking about... Try it!
 
Nugatory said:
Yes, that is what it means.

If you stretch out a rubber band the energy is converted into elastic potential energy. The fact that the rubber band is stretched out proves that the vast majority of the energy cannot go anywhere else, eg. mass.
 

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