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What is the meaning of E = mc2?
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How did Albert Einstein find the E=mc2 equation?
4 days ago · E = mc 2, equation in German-born physicist Albert Einstein’s theory of special relativity that expresses the fact that mass and energy are the same physical entity and can be changed into each other.
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E = mc 2 —In SI units, the energy E is measured in Joules, the mass m is measured in kilograms, and the speed of light is measured in metres per second. An object moves at different speeds in different frames of reference, depending on the motion of the observer.
- Overview
- Understanding the Equation
- Applying the Equation in the Real World
In one of Albert Einstein’s revolutionary scientific papers published in 1905, E=mc
was introduced; where E is energy, m is mass, and c is the speed of light in a vacuum.
has become one of the most famous equations in the world. Even people with no background in physics have at least heard of the equation and are aware of its prodigious influence on the world we live in. However, most people do not exactly know what the equation means. In simple terms, the equation represents the correlation of energy to matter: essentially, energy and matter are but two different forms of the same thing.
This relatively simple equation has altered the way we think about energy and provided us with numerous technological advances.
Define the variables of the equation.
The first step to understanding any equation is to know what each variable stands for. In this case, E is the energy of an object at rest, m is the object's mass, and c is the speed of light in vacuum.
The speed of light, c is constant in all reference frames and is roughly equal to 3.00x10
meters per second. In the context of Einstein's relativity, the c
functions more as a unit conversion factor than a constant. As such, it is squared as a result of dimensional analysis - energy is measured in joules, or kg m
, so adding the c
Understand where usable energy comes from.
Most of our consumable energy comes from the burning of coal and natural gas. Burning these substances takes advantage of their valence electrons (unpaired electrons in the outermost shell of an atom) and the bonds they make with other elements. When heat is added, these bonds break and the energy released is used to power our communities.
Obtaining energy this way is not very efficient and is costly to the environment.
Apply Einstein’s equation to make energy conversion more efficient.
tells us that there is much more energy stored inside the nucleus of an atom than in its valence electrons. The energy released from splitting an atom is much higher than that of breaking electron bonds.
Nuclear power is based on this principle. Nuclear reactors cause fission (the splitting of atoms) to occur and capture the massive amount of energy released.
- 1.2M
Sep 19, 2023 · E=mc2 is the famous formula that shows the equivalence of mass and energy. Learn how Einstein derived it, what it means and how it relates to nuclear reactions and light speed.
- It shows that matter and energy are the same thing — as long as the matter travels at the speed of light squared. The latter is an enormous number...
- Einstein's theory predicts that when a mass of matter is multiplied by a square of light's speed, it gives off huge energy. However, for us to move...
- Yes. When mass and speed of light squared are multiplied, they give the same unit as that of energy – Joules. Thus, E=mc2 is dimensionally correct.
This page explains what E = mc 2 means in simple terms and some of its consequences. The equation is derived directly from Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity, and other pages in this series deal with the mathematical and logical derivation.
Apr 8, 2021 · Learn how Einstein's famous formula connects mass and energy, and how it underlies nuclear reactions and phenomena. Find out how photons, the speed of light, and momentum fit into the equation.
Jun 13, 2024 · Explore Einstein's famous E=mc² equation with our calculator and understand the mass-energy equivalence easily.
