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Re: Mass



The first step in responding to a question is to ask myself, "Did I
understand the question?" IF I think I did, then I'll try a question or
comment to check out my understanding, because until I've done that the
questioner and I are not in communication. For example, since I know that
Jim invariably has an agenda in mind when he asks a question, and I'm
curious about the agenda, I'll respond as follows:

Ok I will confess. The perceptive Jack Uretsky has found me out. And I am
flattered.

I have been going over some papers re relativistic mass and wondering why
there is a vigorous debate about the concept. Just what is E and m in
E=mc^2. After some ongoing thought over several years I have concluded
that E and m are the same thing ie not E equals m but E IS m.

Then my mind wonders about the tendency of the group to view E as a
substantive fluid. And then my mind wanders to the question of whether the
group views m as a substance. I thought that I would probe this issue.

Lo and behold some -- if not many/most -- do. Some want m to be protons
and neutrons. Only one or two have said that m is an abstract invented
property of a system.

In addition no one as yet has addressed photons. Light is bent by huge
massive bodies as though massive photons (also invented creatures) were
passing through a gravitational field (what ever that is). I wonder about
this as well.

Jim, what have you got against Feynman's discussion in I-9-1 of
the Feynman lectures?

Jack, inertial mass is just fine for basic intro problems, but it doesn't
give me much insight into E=mc^2 and complimentary ideas. Neither does it
help me much with GR.

Besides some colleagues continue to urge me to write a paper re energy and
I don't trust Feynman's views nor those of Bill Ney the Science Guy. On
the other hand I may be far too old for this sort of thing. Everyone seems
to be into HS physics. <g>

Now I have confessed -- but I don't seek absolution.

Jim


Jim Green
mailto:JMGreen@sisna.com
http://users.sisna.com/jmgreen