🚀 go-pugleaf

> Charles Han wrote:
>
> If you find this thread ininteresting, feel free to not read the
> following question:
>
> I have basically no background in this field (besides an 8th grade GT
> science education), but a few days ago, this thread had an interesting
> discussion about approaching light-speed.  As I recall, it was made
> apparent that, as an object approaches lightspeed, its mass approaches
> infinity.  Doesn't the Law of Conservation of Matter prohibit any gain
> or loss of mass?
>
> I know that the question just might seem foolishly simple for some, and
> the answer may just go completely over my head, but could someone please
> answer with a simple reply?  Thanks a lot.

I believe that in very special cases, especially nuclear reactions,
(fusion reactions in particular???), that mass will change and become
VERY slightly smaller (.00001% or something like that).  Thus,
scientists have assumed that a VERY SMALL amount of direct mass to
energy conversion has taken place.

Can anyone back me up on this?

+------------------------------------------------+
| Jason C. Wenger      www.clinton.net/~jwenger/ |
| 'Thursday' on Kali         jwe...@clinton.net |
| Illegitimi no carborundum     jwe...@juno.com |
+------------------------------------------------+
|    So... So you think you can tell             |
|    Heaven from Hell?  Blue skies from pain?    |
|    Can you tell a green field                  |
|    From a cold steel rail?                     |
|    A smile from a veil?                        |
|    Do you think you can tell?                  |
|      "Wish You Were Here" - Pink Floyd         |
+------------------------------------------------+