Why do frozen objects weigh more than unfrozen ones?

  • Thread starter Thread starter jamesd2008
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Weight
AI Thread Summary
Frozen objects can appear heavier than unfrozen ones due to the accumulation of frost on their surfaces, which adds extra weight. The mass of the cans themselves does not change with temperature; however, the total weight can be influenced by the energy states of the objects. As temperature increases, the energy associated with an object also increases, but this effect is minimal compared to mass. The difference in weight between frozen and unfrozen cans is negligible and primarily due to external factors rather than a change in mass. Understanding these principles clarifies why frozen items might feel heavier despite having the same mass.
jamesd2008
Messages
63
Reaction score
0
Hi just out of interest. I accidentally froze 2 cans of lager. When I remembered they were in the fridge I got them out, they felt heavier, so I decided to weigh them. I compared this to two unfrozen cans of the same brand. The frozen was heavier. I know that the mass can't of changed? So how can two frozen larger cans weigh more than two room temperature ones? I assume the can is aluminum.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
They can't. The only possibility is the addition of frost stuck to the outside of the cans.
The hotter an object is the more it should weigh. The difference is tiny. The reason is that weight relates not just to mass but to the total energy of the object. That is the mass-equivalent energy plus the heat energy plus any rotational energy plus any other energy. The mass is many orders of magnitude greater than the others.
 
thanks map19 for your input.
 
I have recently been really interested in the derivation of Hamiltons Principle. On my research I found that with the term ##m \cdot \frac{d}{dt} (\frac{dr}{dt} \cdot \delta r) = 0## (1) one may derivate ##\delta \int (T - V) dt = 0## (2). The derivation itself I understood quiet good, but what I don't understand is where the equation (1) came from, because in my research it was just given and not derived from anywhere. Does anybody know where (1) comes from or why from it the...
Back
Top