- #106
gptejms
- 386
- 2
Garth,
The increase in rest mass is not quite the same as a greater relativistic mass.In your case the rest mass may increase or decrease depending on whether the atom accelerates towards me(an observer at [tex] \infty [/tex])or away from me.This directional dependence,however,is a desirable feature!
This is because it explains the doppler effect in terms of energy levels of the source of light.If the source moves towards me,its rest mass increases thereby widening the gap between the energy levels--the reverse happens if the source moves away from me.So,it explains the relativistic doppler effect in terms of energy levels!You can't give such an explanation in SR,because relativistic mass does not depend on the direction of velocity.
The increase in rest mass is not quite the same as a greater relativistic mass.In your case the rest mass may increase or decrease depending on whether the atom accelerates towards me(an observer at [tex] \infty [/tex])or away from me.This directional dependence,however,is a desirable feature!
This is because it explains the doppler effect in terms of energy levels of the source of light.If the source moves towards me,its rest mass increases thereby widening the gap between the energy levels--the reverse happens if the source moves away from me.So,it explains the relativistic doppler effect in terms of energy levels!You can't give such an explanation in SR,because relativistic mass does not depend on the direction of velocity.