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I want to ask something about mass


SilentSky23

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4 minutes ago, SilentSky23 said:

And that question is...

Would a moving object with infinite mass exert an infinite force on other objects?

If so, why? If not, why not?

An object with infinite mass would exert infinite gravitational force because the force is proportional to the mass: [math] F = G\frac{m_1 m_2}{r^2} [/math]

Whether it is moving or not makes no difference.

Luckily, nothing can have infinite mass.

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1 minute ago, Strange said:

An object with infinite mass would exert infinite gravitational force because the force is proportional to the mass: F=Gm1m2r2

Whether it is moving or not makes no difference.

Luckily, nothing can have infinite mass.

What about non-gravitational forces? Like applied forces or other contact forces?

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1 minute ago, SilentSky23 said:

What about non-gravitational forces? Like applied forces or other contact forces?

None of those can be realistically evaluated for a non-physical case like this.

If you invent an impossible thought experiment, then you can invent any answers you like. 

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1 minute ago, Strange said:

None of those can be realistically evaluated for a non-physical case like this.

If you invent an impossible thought experiment, then you can invent any answers you like. 

May I ask why that is the case? Do you mean they can't or, there is just no knowledge of what happens?

Let me ask another question: Does mass, not infinite, of course, exert contact forces at all, or does it not?

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Just now, SilentSky23 said:

May I ask why that is the case? Do you mean they can't or, there is just no knowledge of what happens?

Because if you ask about something impossible, then there is no scientific or factual answer.

You might as well as, "what would happen if the sun spontaneously turned into a chicken?" There is no reasonable answer, because it can't happen.

Quote

Let me ask another question: Does mass, not infinite, of course, exert contact forces at all, or does it not?

What do you mean by "contact force"? Friction? Or something else?

Mass is only indirectly related to friction.

 

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2 minutes ago, Strange said:

Because if you ask about something impossible, then there is no scientific or factual answer.

You might as well as, "what would happen if the sun spontaneously turned into a chicken?" There is no reasonable answer, because it can't happen.

What do you mean by "contact force"? Friction? Or something else?

Mass is only indirectly related to friction.

 

Applied or normal force, to be exact.

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Just now, SilentSky23 said:

More like a hand pushing against a wall, if that counts.

That is not really related to mass. I think you would need to be more specific about the conditions to provide any sort of answer. For example, if you push on a wall, then the wall pushes back on you. So to avoid moving you need to push against something else; the floor, maybe. In that case your mass will have some effect on how much friction your shoes have on the floor.

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2 minutes ago, Strange said:

That is not really related to mass. I think you would need to be more specific about the conditions to provide any sort of answer. For example, if you push on a wall, then the wall pushes back on you. So to avoid moving you need to push against something else; the floor, maybe. In that case your mass will have some effect on how much friction your shoes have on the floor.

Alright, I now get it. Thanks.

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