Difference between relatavistic kinetic energy and normal kinetic energy

Kennalj · Jan 13, 2010

I was looking at the relativistic energy of an electron and noticed that the formula for kinetic energy is:

K.E. = mc^2 -m0c^2

How is this related to the kinetic energy for low speed particles?
Does anyone have a link to the proof?

nicksauce · Jan 13, 2010

This can be written as (Gamma - 1) m_0c^2. Do a taylor expansion of gamma and the result immediately follows.

jtbell · Jan 13, 2010

Or see here:

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/relativ/releng.html#c6

Difference between relatavistic kinetic energy and normal kinetic energy

Discussion

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