Gravitational field has energy, E field does not?

[csmcmillion]

Watched a physics lecture yesterday in which the teacher stated that a G field has energy, but an E filed (due to the Coulomb force does not). This does not compute. Both fields have potential energy, yes?

 

[Pengwuino]

Yes, that doesn't make sense. Are you sure that's what they meant?

 

[csmcmillion]

Yes, that doesn't make sense. Are you sure that's what they meant?

Maybe not. The exact statement was "In an ordinary sense, electric charge is not energy, but gravitational charge is energy". So maybe I am misunderstanding the statement.

 

[nnnm4]

Okay that clears it up. They are talking about the equivalence between mass and energy that comes out of relativity. There is no analogous equivalence for charge.

 

[pmacias]

I would like to clarify that both gravitational fields and electric fields have energy. The statement made by the teacher in the physics lecture may have been referring to the fact that the energy associated with a gravitational field is due to the mass of an object, whereas the energy associated with an electric field is due to the charge of an object. Therefore, the energy of a gravitational field is dependent on the mass of the object creating the field, while the energy of an electric field is dependent on the charge of the object creating the field.

However, both fields have potential energy. In the case of a gravitational field, the potential energy is due to the position of an object in the field, while in an electric field, the potential energy is due to the separation of charges. This potential energy can be converted into kinetic energy when the object moves in the field.

In summary, both gravitational fields and electric fields have energy, but the source and nature of this energy may differ. It is important to consider the specific context and definitions being used when discussing the energy associated with different fields.