Mass-Energy Equivalence (E=mc²)
Explore the relationship between mass and energy. This tool calculates how much energy is contained within a physical object or how much mass a given amount of energy represents.
What does E = mc² mean?
E = mc² is Albert Einstein's famous equation for mass-energy equivalence. It states that energy (E) equals mass (m) times the speed of light (c) squared. It reveals that mass and energy are the same thing in different forms.
What is the value of "c" in the equation?
The constant "c" represents the speed of light in a vacuum, which is exactly 299,792,458 meters per second (approximately 300,000 km/s).
Why is the speed of light squared?
The speed of light squared (c²) acts as a conversion factor. Because c is a very large number, even a tiny amount of mass contains a massive amount of energy.
What are the units for mass and energy?
In the standard SI system, mass (m) is measured in kilograms (kg), and energy (E) is measured in Joules (J). The speed of light (c) is in meters per second (m/s).