🚀 go-pugleaf

Erik Goble wrote:
> 
> 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.
> As one equally clueless person to another :) I would say that there is
> no gain of mass, just weight, and I thought that as something approached
> the speed of light time slowed down, and at the speed of light it
> stoped... I didn't hear nething about weight :)
> 

Remember that energy is the same as mass, and energy that is gained from one thing must be lost from another. 
 In this case, the fuel being burned up by the object that is travelling is the loss of energy/mass, and the 
increase in speed is the increase in energy/mass.

This also brings up an interesting point:  If energy is mass, and one tiny bit of mass equals a WHOLE LOT of 
energy, if man could find a way to decompose mass into energy, our whole planet's energy source could be a 
little chunk of garbage!
-- 
Yours Truly,
Aden

No expertise claimed.  Corrections sought.  Posts preferred to e-mail.
My home page:  http://www.connect.ab.ca/~tgrue/index.html