Understanding Special Relativity: The Equation E = mc² Explained

[Lizwi]

What is E = \frac{m_{0}c^{2}}{1-v^{2}/c^{2}}

 

[Nabeshin]

Hi Lizwi,

I think you are missing a square root in the denominator? The expression:
E= \gamma m c^2 = \frac{mc^2}{\sqrt{1-v^2/c^2}}
Is the relativistic expression for the total energy of a moving body.

 

[genericusrnme]

What Nabeshin said
You can also drop the 0 from the m_0, I've not seen the term 'rest mass' used since high school. Once you're out of high school it simply becomes mass as far as I know :p

 

[granpa]

What is E = \frac{m_{0}c^{2}}{1-v^{2}/c^{2}}

its a term that pops up in the four-momentum if you use the convention that x⁰ = ct rather that x⁰ = t

if you use x⁰ = t then you just get p⁰ = gamma*m