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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / does potential gravitational energy have "weight?
« on: 04/01/2009 21:17:04 »
I know if you compress a spring it will weigh more because of the stored elastic potential energy. But how does this work for potential gravitational energy. If I push a rock up a hill will it get heaver? And for that matter will the earth also get heaver? I would imagine this increase in weight would be insignificant but would it become relevant for launching things like rockets? And now for the really hard question. If that is all true how much potential gravitational energy was created in the big bang and does this energy account for a significant portion of the “weight” we experience today?