1. What is Einstein's Mass-Energy Equivalence?

The equation E=mc², formulated by Albert Einstein in his theory of special relativity, states that energy (E) and mass (m) are interchangeable; they are different forms of the same thing. The constant c² is the speed of light squared (approximately 9×10¹⁶ m²/s²), which acts as the conversion factor.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses Einstein's famous equation:

Where:

• \( E \) — Energy (Joules)
• \( m \) — Mass (kilograms)
• \( c \) — Speed of light in vacuum (299,792,458 m/s)

Explanation: The equation shows that a small amount of mass can be converted into a tremendous amount of energy because c² is an extremely large number.

3. Importance of E=mc²

Details: This equation revolutionized physics by showing that mass and energy are equivalent. It explains energy production in stars, nuclear power, and is fundamental to particle physics.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter mass in kilograms (default speed of light is pre-filled). For example, to calculate the energy equivalent of 1 kg of mass, simply enter 1 and click calculate.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why is c squared in the equation?
A: The c² term comes from the mathematical derivation in special relativity and represents the conversion factor between mass and energy units.

Q2: How much energy is in 1 kg of mass?
A: Approximately 89,875,517,873,681,764 joules (about 90 petajoules) - equivalent to 21.5 megatons of TNT.

Q3: Can we convert energy back to mass?
A: Yes, this happens in particle accelerators where energy is converted to particle-antiparticle pairs.

Q4: Why don't we see this energy in everyday life?
A: In chemical reactions, the mass change is too small to measure. Only nuclear reactions release significant amounts of this energy.

Q5: Does this mean all mass is energy?
A: Essentially yes - mass can be considered as a form of potential energy according to this equation.