Norman Wells wrote:
The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Norman Wells wrote:
The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Paul Martin wrote:
In article ,
Tim S wrote:

Seriously - yes, there is a mass increase.

I wind up my cuckoo clock. The driving weight (not the pendulum)
rises a metre. Has its mass increased due to the increase in
potential energy?


I think so, yes.

So, what's it lost then? Electrons, neutrons, whole atoms, or what?

Mass.

The constituents all weigh a bit less, even taking into account they
are further away from the center of the earth..

Sorry, no. Mass is defined as the quantity of matter in a body, and
that doesn't vary just because you've wound up your cuckoo clock. It
still has exactly the same number of protons, neutrons and electrons as
it always did.


And when it falls, it regains those electrons, neutrons or whole
atoms? Conveniently in exactly the same form as when they were lost?
How's that work then?


All those items do not have fixed masses.

Oh, but they do, you see. Winding up your cuckoo clock doesn't exactly
accelerate them to near the speed of light, does it? And that's the
only way their mass can change.



E=mc^2 only kicks in if the body is *radiating* away energy (eg.
light, heat radiation, gamma rays, etc.) or absorbing radiated
electromagnetic energy.

I don't think so, no.

Any release of chemical energy as either heat or electricity is
accompanied by weight loss.

And the proof of that is where exactly?


E=mC^2"

Ah, it lies in the uncomprehending use of a formula applied to a
situation where it is not of the slightest relevance.

Now I see.

Humpty Dumpty also made words fit what he wanted them to mean without
regard for what they do. Now what happened to him?

Sorry Norman, very deeply sorry that you haven't the brain and
certainly not the patience and humility to even begin to understand even
Newtonian physics..let alone anything else.

Why don't you give it a rest, take a glass of warm milk and some
Ovaltine, and relax in your ignorant certainties?