On the Possibility and Consequences of Negative Mass

TL;DR

This paper explores the theoretical implications of negative relativistic mass particles, demonstrating that their existence would imply the presence of faster-than-light particles, based on minimal assumptions about collisions and momentum conservation.

Contribution

It provides a theoretical analysis linking negative mass particles to tachyons, using only basic collision and conservation principles.

Findings

Negative mass particles imply the existence of tachyons.

Minimal assumptions suffice for the theoretical connection.

The study advances understanding of exotic particles in physics.

Abstract

We investigate the possibility and consequences of the existence of particles having negative relativistic masses, and show that their existence implies the existence of faster- than-light particles (tachyons). Our proof requires only two postulates concerning such particles: that it is possible for particles of any (positive, negative or zero) relativistic mass to collide inelastically with 'normal' (i.e. positive relativistic mass) particles, and that four-momentum is conserved in such collisions.