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E = mc² Formula:
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E = mc² is Einstein's mass-energy equivalence formula from his theory of special relativity. It states that energy (E) equals mass (m) multiplied by the speed of light (c) squared. This equation demonstrates that mass can be converted into energy and vice versa.
The calculator uses the E = mc² equation:
Where:
Explanation: The equation shows the fundamental relationship between mass and energy, where a small amount of mass can produce a tremendous amount of energy.
Details: This equation is fundamental to nuclear physics and has practical applications in nuclear power generation, nuclear weapons, and understanding stellar processes. It revolutionized our understanding of the universe.
Tips: Enter mass in kilograms and speed of light in meters per second. The default value for speed of light is set to 300,000,000 m/s (approximately 3×10⁸ m/s).
Q1: Why is the speed of light squared in the equation?
A: The squaring of the speed of light (c²) acts as a conversion factor between mass and energy, showing that a tiny amount of mass contains an enormous amount of energy.
Q2: What are practical applications of E = mc²?
A: Nuclear power plants, nuclear weapons, medical radiation therapy, and understanding how stars produce energy through nuclear fusion.
Q3: How accurate is this equation?
A: The equation has been experimentally verified with extremely high precision and is considered one of the most fundamental and accurate equations in physics.
Q4: Does this apply to all forms of energy?
A: The equation specifically describes the rest energy of an object. For moving objects, the full relativistic energy equation includes additional terms.
Q5: Why is the energy output so large even for small masses?
A: Because the speed of light is an extremely large number (about 300,000,000 m/s), and squaring it produces an even larger conversion factor (about 9×10¹⁶ m²/s²).