In micro masses isnt a charge equivalent to the mass content?

Question

isnt a neutral charge really a more massive microstructure which is so heavy that it cannot be defected by protons or electrons?

Answer 1

Well, if you get down to some of the very smallest stuff, the answer is no.

In atoms, there are basically three particles. There's protons which have a +1 charge and a mass of 1 amu. There's neutrons which have a 0 charge and a mass of 1 amu. And there's electrons which have a -1 charge and a mass of 1/1836 amu. So no, it would appear that charge and mass don't have much to do with each other. The HUGE difference is mass with identical charge is why our picture of the atom involves essentially stationary protons and neutrons with electrons buzzing around them.

Lest you suspect that it is the positive charges that are heavy, there are anti-particles to disprove that. An anti-electron has a +1 charge and the same 1/1836 amu mass, and anti-protons have -1 charge and 1 amu mass. Anti-neutrons are pretty much the same. Except being anti-matter, of course. These guys don't occur around here too much, but they can all be produced in the lab with regularity.

So charge and mass are entirely different qualities altogether, except in the sense that things of certain charge have a certain mass because they're made up of certain building blocks. Don't get me started on quarks, too... that's much more complex! ( :