Masseffekt

Masseffekt, or mass effect, is a term used in science to describe the influence that mass has on its surroundings or on a system. It is employed in physics to discuss how mass contributes to gravitational interactions and to the inertia of objects, and it appears in medical contexts to describe the clinical impact of a mass on nearby structures. In addition, the term may appear in popular usage as a translation or reference to the Mass Effect media franchise, though this is a proper noun in that setting.

In physics, massa effects arise from mass and energy shaping forces and motion. In Newtonian mechanics, mass determines gravitational attraction via F = GMm/r^2 and quantifies inertia, the resistance to changes in motion. In general relativity, mass-energy curves spacetime, producing phenomena such as planetary orbits, time dilation, and gravitational lensing. The distribution of visible and dark mass influences galactic rotation curves and the dynamics of clusters, and mass effects are central to interpreting astronomical observations.

In medicine, a mass effect describes the symptoms and signs produced when a lesion, tumor, hemorrhage, or other mass enlarges and compresses adjacent tissues, organs, or spaces. This compression can cause headaches, focal neurological deficits, edema, hydrocephalus, or organ dysfunction, depending on location. Diagnosis relies on imaging studies such as MRI or CT to assess size, location, and the degree of displacement or compression. Treatment is guided by the underlying cause and the severity of the mass effect, ranging from observation and medical management to surgical decompression or removal.

See also mass, gravitational lensing, midline shift, intracranial mass effect.