In Newtonian mechanics the mass of a particle is constant and can be expressed as the ratio of the force to the acceleration:
The force can be written as the rate of change of momentum:
so
In Newtonian mechanics
and
is constant so![]()
In special relativity, mass plays more of a resistance to acceleration role, and has a different value in the direction of acceleration than at right angles to it.
In special relativity the momentum of a particle of rest mass
is
where
![]()
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If the acceleration is perpendicular to
then
and
If the acceleration is in the direction of![]()


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