August Hubbard: I don't think it would be much help in getting the speed of the particle. It basically says that the total energy of the system is equal to an effective total mass M times c^2 and that number won't change as the ball drops.So initially the total energy of the system = Restmass energy of Earth + Restmass energy of ball + potential energy between them. When the ball is dropped some of the potential energy changes to kinetic energy. The restmass energies don't change. When you equate the two energies (because energy is conserved) the restmass energies will cancel and your left with the same energy relationship between kinetic & potential that you would use classically....Show more
Leann Villalta: I know that this can be figured out using the classical/Newtonian mechanics/physics, like where you can get Ep=mgh and Ek=.5mv^2...But is there a way to determine the speed using Special Relativity?I know that at such low speeds, the gamma will essentially equa! l one, so that E=mc^2... but then can I say that E=Ek=.5mv^2? Or is Ek=.5mv^2 classical stuff and not used in Special Relativity?Thanks!...Show more
Son Ahlers: Yeah, I think you could.Total energy is always equal to kinetic plus potential.Special relativity says that even when a body is at rest, it still carries energy by virtue of its mass.So your initial energy is gonna bemgh + mc^2when the ball hits the ground it will no longer have potential energy, but will have kinetic energy equal togamma*mc^2so your energy conservation equation becomesmgh + mc^2 = gamma*mc^2Which can be solved for v.I don't know if it would actually work though, if you actually plugged numbers in. Einstein's equations only really work for very high speeds....Show more
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