I understand it’s “energy equals mass times the speed of light squared”, but it’s always portrayed as the most significant equation.
Is this just because Einstein was a popular figure, or is it particularly important in understanding the universe? Moreso than other equations?
In: Physics
First thing, that’s actually a simplified version of Einstein’s equation.
What this equation tells us is that it’s possible to convert between mass and energy. This is a bit of a bonkers idea. From a young age, we’re used to the idea that mass doesn’t change. You pour something from one container into another and the amount of stuff stays the same. Even when something gets burned, all that happens is the stuff gets turned into gasses, which still have mass. The energy we get is unlocked from being stored in the bonds of the molecules, but it’s not new energy.
E=m×c² tells us that we can actually convert physical matter into energy. This is what happens in nuclear reactors. It’s not that stuff gets turned into gas and the energy is unlocked. The matter itself actually *becomes* energy. So it’s a pretty simple equation that rolls off the tongue pretty well, but the idea contained in it is deep and powerful and far beyond what we are used to in everyday life.
Latest Answers