E = MC2, equation in German-born physicist Albert Einstein's theory of special relativity that expresses the fact that mass and energy are the same physical entity and can be changed into each other.

In the equation, the increased relativistic mass (m) of a body times the speed of light squared (c2) is equal to the kinetic energy (E) of that body.

= MC2

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Sidney Perkowitz

Charles Howard Candler Professor of Physics Emeritus, Emory University, Atlanta. Author of Empire of Light, Universal Foam, Hollywood Science, Slow Light, and others.

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Understand the PROOF of Albert Einstein's special-relativity equation

Understand the proof of Albert Einstein's special-relativity equation

Proof of Albert Einstein's special-relativity equation E = mc2.

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E = mc2, equation in German-born physicist Albert Einstein’s theory of special relativity that expresses the fact that mass and energy are the same physical entity and can be changed into each other. In the equation, the increased relativistic mass (m) of a body times the speed of light squared (c2) is equal to the kinetic energy (E) of that body.

E = mc2

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KEY PEOPLE

Albert Einstein

RELATED TOPICS

Mass

Kinetic energy

Special relativity

Speed of light

Mass-energy equivalence

In physical theories prior to that of special relativity, mass and energy were viewed as distinct entities. Furthermore, the energy of a body at rest could be assigned an arbitrary value. In special relativity, however, the energy of a body at rest is determined to be mc2. Thus, each body of rest mass m possesses mc2 of “rest energy,” which potentially is available for conversion to other forms of energy. The mass-energy relation, moreover, implies that, if energy is released from the body as a result of such a conversion, then the rest mass of the body will decrease. Such a conversion of rest energy to other forms of energy occurs in ordinary chemical reactions, but much LARGER conversions occur in nuclear reactions. This is particularly true in the case of nuclear fusion reactions that transform hydrogen to helium, in which 0.7 percent of the original rest energy of the hydrogen is converted to other forms of energy. Stars like the Sun shine from the energy released from the rest energy of hydrogen atoms that are fused to form helium.