Converting Energy to Mass: Is it Possible?

In summary, the conversation discusses the possibility of converting energy to mass, with a focus on whether this can occur naturally or artificially. The speaker mentions that while it is possible to convert mass to energy, the reverse process is also possible through pair production. However, there may be semantic issues with this conversion as the total energy remains constant throughout the process.
  • #1
Mandelbrot
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I know that it's possible to convert mass to energy. But is it possible to convert energy to mass?
 
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  • #2
I believe it is. I don't have the particle physics background so no lab experiments to back me up on this. Most of the nuclear reactions tend towards lower mass products when compared to the reactants (e.g. hydrogen fusion, uranium fission) The only natural example of the reverse I can think of are the quantum fluctuations where out of nowhere in "empty space" an electron-positron pair can appear and then annihilate.
 
  • #3
If you mean on a large scale, artificially, then no. Naturally, of course, it happens whenever a particle, anti-particle pair is formed.
 
  • #4
Mandelbrot said:
I know that it's possible to convert mass to energy. But is it possible to convert energy to mass?
The question is loaded with problems of semantics. E.g. you may be thinking of a proton annihilating an antiproton leaving only photons in the end products. But the only think that has changed here is the form of the energy. The total energy has remained constaint throughout the process. That is what is meant by mass-energy conversion.

Now I believe you're question is "Can we take a photon, which has zero "proper mass" and create something which has non-zero proper mass. The answer is yes. The process is called pair poduction.

Pete
 

FAQ: Converting Energy to Mass: Is it Possible?

Can energy be converted to mass?

Yes, according to Einstein's famous equation E=mc^2, energy and mass are equivalent and can be converted into each other. This is known as mass-energy equivalence.

How is energy converted to mass?

In order to convert energy to mass, a huge amount of energy is required. This can be achieved through processes such as nuclear fission or fusion, where the energy released is used to create new particles, thus converting energy into mass.

Is it possible to convert mass back into energy?

Yes, the opposite process of converting energy to mass is also possible. When mass is destroyed, it releases a tremendous amount of energy through nuclear reactions or particle annihilation.

Can we observe this conversion of energy to mass?

Yes, we can observe the conversion of energy to mass in particle accelerators, where high-energy collisions between particles result in the creation of new particles with mass.

Is converting energy to mass a practical method of creating energy?

Currently, converting energy to mass is not a practical method of creating energy due to the huge amount of energy required and the difficulty in controlling the process. However, scientists continue to study and explore this concept for potential future applications.

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