Negative mass is a hypothetical concept where mass is assigned a negative value instead of positive. In this scenario, objects with negative mass would exhibit unusual behaviors such as moving opposite to applied forces.
Think of negative mass like anti-gravity boots. If you wear these boots, instead of being pulled down towards the ground by gravity, you would be pushed away from it. You would experience a repulsive force rather than an attractive one.
Mass: A measure of the amount of matter in an object. Unlike negative mass, regular mass is always positive.
Weightlessness: A condition experienced when there is no apparent gravitational force acting on an object or person.
Newton's Third Law of Motion: States that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Negative mass could potentially challenge this law since it would involve reversed reactions.
Study guides for the entire semester
200k practice questions
Glossary of 50k key terms - memorize important vocab
© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.