What units is E=MC measured in?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the units used in the equation E=mc, with participants clarifying and debating the correct formulation and units applicable to the equation, particularly in the context of energy, mass, and speed. The scope includes conceptual clarification and technical explanation regarding unit systems in physics.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant asks for clarification on the units used in the equation E=mc.
  • Another participant provides the units as Joules (J), kilograms (kg), and meters per second (m/s).
  • A different participant argues that the correct equation should be E=mc², implying a need for precision in the formulation.
  • One participant explains that E is in units of energy, m in units of mass, and c in units of speed, noting that while standard SI units are common, other units like electron volts (eV) can also be used in particle physics.
  • It is mentioned that any units can be used as long as they are consistent, but a proportionality constant may be needed if the units do not align naturally.
  • Another participant reiterates the units as Joules, meters, and meters per second, while questioning the meaning of 'm' and correcting their earlier statement to indicate that 'm' stands for kilograms.
  • A participant discusses the flexibility of using different units for mass and speed, noting that using non-SI units would require an additional constant to maintain accuracy.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express disagreement regarding the formulation of the equation, with some insisting on E=mc² while others reference E=mc. There is no consensus on a single set of units, as various units are proposed and the discussion remains unresolved.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the potential for confusion regarding the correct formulation of the equation and the need for proportionality constants when using non-standard units. The discussion also highlights the dependence on the definitions of units used in different contexts.

scupydog
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Hi all could anyone tell me what units are used in the equation E=MC.

Thx, Dave.
 
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J, kg, m/s
 
Last edited:
but the equation is wrong.. E = mc^2 it should be ;-)
 
scupydog said:
Hi all could anyone tell me what units are used in the equation E=MC
E is in units of energy, m in units of mass, and c in units of speed. mgb_phys already gave the standard SI units, but you can use any units that you prefer. For particle physics they often use eV (electron volts) for E and eV/c² for m and, uhh, c for c.
 
DaleSpam said:
but you can use any units that you prefer.
As long as the energy is in the natural units for the speed and mass - otherwise you need another proportionality constant.

That does mean the the "firkin furlong2 fortnight-2" is a natural unit of energy.
 
mgb_phys said:
J, m, m/s

what does the m for stand for ?

malawi_glenn said:
but the equation is wrong.. E = mc^2 it should be ;-)

sry that's what i should have typed.
 
scupydog said:
what does the m for stand for ?
sry that's what i should have typed.

Sorry I meant to type kg for mass
As DaleSpam said you can use any units you want for mass and speed but then the units of energy come out as the natural units for that measuerement system.
With SI (metric) it's easier, you could use lbs for the mass, mph for the speed of light and BTU for the energy but you would need another constant in front of the m to get the value right - it just happens that for kg / m / s the constant is 1.
 

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