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-----Original Message-----
From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu [mailto:phys-l-
bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu] On Behalf Of
carmelo@pacific.net.sg
Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2007 9:50 AM
To: Forum for Physics Educators
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] Relativity Question about spring
Hugh wrote:
I don't think so. The issue is, what is the system.
Have not we defined an electron or a muon as a system before? This is
also known as "one-particle system". You may not have answered the
question.
But no one says that the neutron "loses such and such aand
mass" when it becomes bound to a proton, we only talk about the
deuteron mass being less than the collective masses of the proton
neutron as free particles.
What if some physicists and physics teachers have said something to
that effect?
In fact, some astrophysicists are interested in the effective neutron
mass; for those neutrons which are present in the neutron stars...
In addition, physics teachers such as Walter Scheider, the
"Presidential award winning teacher", describe this in his book and
website:
"Now, back to the question: what got smaller? (We don't mean smaller
in size, necessarily, but in mass.) Did some of the protons get
smaller? Did some of the neutrons get smaller? Did some of the
electrons get smaller?
In fact, the answer to that question is "yes." But, you will respond,
we've been taught that a proton has a definite mass, the mass that is
listed in the tables to seven decimal places. Same for the neutron,
and the electron. Surprisingly it's not quite like that......"
For more details, please refer to
http://www.cavendishscience.org/energy-flash/flash-index.htm
Alphonsus
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