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Is it true that when a spring is extended, potential energy is stored in spring and result in gain of mass of the spring?

Qmechanic
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Gstestso
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  • http://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/212082/does-the-rest-mass-energy-include-the-potential-energy-of-the-particle i think the above issue has been amply explained in the previous thread. – drvrm Jun 03 '16 at 06:03

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Yes, spring mass will increase but in very very small amount.

As per Mass energy equivalence the amount of mass gain will be(E=mc2):

m= E/C2

for example if spring have store 1 Joule of potential energy when it is extended then the increased mass will be:

m =1/299792458= 3.33564095198152e-9

gaganyaan
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  • i think its not proper to calculate changes in the mass of a body in a field or in a system having potential energy...otherwise our mass will change if we go to top floor of my apartment! – drvrm Jun 03 '16 at 06:09
  • @drvrm Please check https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass%E2%80%93energy_equivalence read strict mass–energy equivalence , yes it will change our mass. – gaganyaan Jun 03 '16 at 08:21
  • @ editinit .. i think you are correct .. in the limiting cases of very small changes in the mass of a system .. one can visualize it. – drvrm Jun 03 '16 at 11:53