potpourri #7

[OcularGold]

This thread is to discuss number 7 of the potpourrii:
<quote>What is the mass of Earth's gravitational field?
</quote>

I say it has no mass. Gravitational fields have no rest mass.

christyb, in another thread, suggested computing the mass from its energy using the E=mc^2 formula.

theres a few problems with this

the units of a gravitational fields are in
the form of distance/time^2. The gravitational field due to the earth is 9.8 m/sec^2.

if you wanted to calculate the gravitational potential energy (which could be converted to mass, using E=mc^2), you need a second object - you need its mass and
its distance from the earth. This is probably what cristyb was referring to - the gravitational potential energy between the earth and the sun. instead of the gravitational field.

The problem does not indicate any other objects. i stick with my original answer:
the earth's gravitational field has no mass.

[Courk]

If you are sure of that... I really don't know...

[Ghost Post]

Gravitational fields do have mass. I read it in a book once. However I don't at present know of any way to calculate their mass. I'll see what I can find and post back with the results.

[Aarondalf]

It would be too easy to just say "no mass" thats why I immediately threw out that answer.

[OcularGold]

good luck finding it. i doubted my answer too, and ive looked up several sources. didnt find anything that indicates it even has mass.

[dethwing]

the the gravtitational force is equal to the mass of the earth right? wouldnt it be the same?

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Potted plants dont anwser prayers
If you keep a stewed tomato in your shoe, it wont bring you eternal happiness

[ZenBeam]

negative 3 trillion tons.

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It is too clear, and so it is hard to see.

[OcularGold]

Hey, good find ZenBeam... although im doubting that mass can be negative.

[Ghost Post]

I found this in the about link....

In September of 1996, four months after launch, The Grey Labyrinth was serving just under 100 pages per day. By the end of 1997, this number had risen to nearly 900 requests per day. As of February, 1999, the Grey Labyrinth on average serves just over 5,000 pages per day.....

I think we are looking in the wrong direction....

By the way the really hard to read address is http://www.johndoe.me.mediaone.net/labyrinth/
not "ne". I guess it's the state abr.