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Unredeemed
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I really do not understand WHY the equation is as it is. I understand what the equation means and how important it is. But for what reason is it so?
Unredeemed said:I really do not understand WHY the equation is as it is. I understand what the equation means and how important it is. But for what reason is it so?
1effect said:The derivation is explained here[/url]
Think of it like this: A body emits radiation in frame S in the positive and negative x-direction of equal quantities (but opposite directions). The total momentum of radiation emitted in S is zero. Now look at the same situation as viewed in a frame moving with respect. The total momentum of radiation emitted by the body is now non-zero. The body must account for that change in momentum. Calculation shows that the only way for this to happen is for the mass of the body to decrease. Calculation shows that the amount of energy emitted by the body E is related to the magnitude of the amount of decrease in the mass, m, as E = mc2.Unredeemed said:Thank you, however I am still in high school and therefore my knowledge of physics is obviously still small. Is there any simpler way of explaining it?
pmb_phy said:Think of it like this: A body emits radiation in frame S in the positive and negative x-direction of equal quantities (but opposite directions). The total momentum of radiation emitted in S is zero. Now look at the same situation as viewed in a frame moving with respect. The total momentum of radiation emitted by the body is now non-zero. The body must account for that change in momentum. Calculation shows that the only way for this to happen is for the mass of the body to decrease. Calculation shows that the amount of energy emitted by the body E is related to the magnitude of the amount of decrease in the mass, m, as E = mc2.
Pete
The equation E=mc2, also known as the mass-energy equivalence equation, is a mathematical representation of Albert Einstein's famous theory of relativity. It states that energy (E) and mass (m) are interchangeable, with the speed of light (c) serving as the proportionality constant between the two.
E=mc2 is famous because it revolutionized our understanding of the relationship between matter and energy. It also paved the way for advancements in nuclear energy and led to the development of atomic bombs.
Einstein derived the equation E=mc2 in 1905 as part of his theory of special relativity. He noticed that the speed of light appeared to be constant, regardless of an observer's perspective, and proposed that energy and mass are two forms of the same thing.
E=mc2 has many practical applications in modern technology, particularly in the fields of nuclear energy and nuclear weapons. It also helps us understand the fundamental relationship between mass and energy in the universe.
E=mc2 is certainly one of the most famous equations in history, but it is not the only one. Other famous equations include Newton's second law of motion (F=ma), Pythagorean theorem (a2+b2=c2), and Einstein's general theory of relativity (E=mc2 + 1/2mv2).