The experimental setup consists of a balanced beam system with two suspended bodies: a reference weight connected to an electronic scale on one side, and a test body capable of being electrically charged on the other side. The beam is pivoted at the center to ensure balance. The reference weight is used only for calibration and comparison. The test body is electrically charged with a very high static potential, ideally in the range of millions of volts. By charging the test body, any variation in the measured force (apparent weight) on the electronic scale side can be detected with high sensitivity. Objective To test whether the gravitational weight of a body changes with its electric charge state. According to the proposed model, charging the test body should produce a measurable difference in the equilibrium reading of the scale, reflecting a modification in the gravitational effect due to electrostatic influence.
Yurii V Geletii Sir, you can use a Van de Graaff generator, which can produce millions of volts. The charge generated can then be transferred to the body, thereby charging it.
In the suggested experiment it will be difficult to control the electrostatic interactions with the surrounding.
In any case, the mass of an electron is 9.1093837139(28)×10−31 kg (CODATA 2022), thus, charging something negatively by adding electrons clearly means increasing its mass. No experiment needed. This is well known for over 100 years. On macroscopic bodies the mass difference will be too small to be directly measured but it can be determined for atomic or small molecular ions via high-resolution mass spectrometry, e.g. in Penning traps by comparing the mass of the proton (H+) with that of an hydride ion (H-).
André Fielicke Sir, as per my experiment, when the body was charged, I observed a significant difference in the mass (in kilograms). I have done this experiment before, but I would like to repeat it with some other method to ensure that there was no error or flaw in my previous experiment. My purpose is to recheck the results and confirm the reliability of the observation.
please read (and try to understand) the first sentence of my answer.
André Fielicke Sir, this experiment is being done to prove that gravity is an electromagnetic force. If this is true, then we should observe a difference in weight when the body is charged, and in my experiment I did observe such a difference. I understand that the increase in mass from adding electrons is already well known, but my observation suggests that the effect may go beyond just the electron’s rest mass. To perform the experiment more accurately and minimize electrostatic interactions, it can be carried out inside a vacuum chamber, with no surrounding objects within at least one meter of the charged body. This would reduce air effects and external charge influence. The main purpose of repeating this experiment is to verify whether the observed weight difference is real and reproducible under controlled conditions.
I asked my question to understand better your expertise in general physics. I you charge the body, this charge must compensated by another charge located somewhere close to your setup. The electrostatic interaction will mess up all your measurements. You need an extra precise scale. An electronic scale will be definitely affected by electrostatic interaction. The general idea might be correct, but the devil is in details.
Yurii V Geletii Sir, I understand your point, and I agree that in such experiments electrostatic interactions with the surroundings may interfere with the measurement. That is why I suggested that to minimize this effect, the experiment should be carried out in a vacuum chamber and at least one meter away from surrounding objects, so that external charges do not affect the result. A mechanical balance instead of an electronic balance may also reduce the interference. The purpose of my experiment is not to measure ordinary electrostatics, but to show the additional effect of the nuclear polarization force. If gravity is really of electromagnetic origin, then even after taking into account electrostatic disturbances, a measurable difference in the weight should appear. I therefore admit the difficulty in the details, but I believe that this theory can be tested with proper experimental care.
What is the expected difference in weight between the charged and uncharged body? If you place the body inside a vacuum chamber, you will create a capacitor,
Yurii V Geletii Sir, I understand your concern regarding electrostatic effects. You are correct that polarization of surrounding surfaces, interactions with conducting parts, residual gas in a partial vacuum, and sensitivity limitations of the balance can all cause disturbances greater than the actual mass increase from the additional electrons. However, I have tried to minimize these problems in my setup: the static charge will be kept relatively low, there is no metal in the mechanical setup to minimize unwanted interactions, and any lateral electrostatic attraction or repulsion can be ignored when measuring only the vertical weight difference. Most importantly, if gravity is truly electromagnetic in nature, we should see a significant change in the weight even with these limitations. If no such change is observed, I can simply conclude that gravity is not an electromagnetic force.
André Fielicke Sir, I understand your concern regarding electrostatic effects. You are correct that polarization of surrounding surfaces, interactions with conducting parts, residual gas in a partial vacuum, and sensitivity limitations of the balance can all cause disturbances greater than the actual mass increase from the additional electrons. However, I have tried to minimize these problems in my setup: the static charge will be kept relatively low, there is no metal in the mechanical setup to minimize unwanted interactions, and any lateral electrostatic attraction or repulsion can be ignored when measuring only the vertical weight difference. Most importantly, if gravity is truly electromagnetic in nature, we should see a significant change in the weight even with these limitations. If no such change is observed, I can simply conclude that gravity is not an electromagnetic force.
"we should see a significant ? change in the weight." Before doing something you have to estimate the accuracy of your measurements.
Please, read about a classic experiment.
Chapter First Experiments on Measuring Light Pressure I (Pyotr Nikol...
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