How do I go about explaining e=Mc squared?

Answer 1

Depends on who you are explaining to. Keep it simple, like this:

Einstein developed a theorei that Energy is equal to the Mass of an Object times the speed of light squared. Energy cannot be destroyed, nor created, and it makes up EVERYTHING. To find an objects energy allows you to know everything physical about it; how fast it can travel under what circumstances, what its can be when compacted, or expanded under certain circumstances, and so on. That should e a good start, hope this helps!

By the way, i didn't copy this from anywhere, i am just a year ahead in school.

Jordan 14, CA

Answer 2

E = mc2 is one of the most famous equations, even to non-physicists. It states a relationship between energy (E), in whatever form, and mass (m). In this formula, c², the square of the speed of light in a vacuum, is the conversion factor required to formally convert from units of mass to units of energy, i.e. the energy per unit mass. In unit specific terms, E (joules) = M (kilograms) multiplied by (299792458 m/s)2.

The equation was first published in a slightly different formulation by Albert Einstein in 1905 in one of his famous articles. He derived it as a consequence of the special theory of relativity which he had proposed the same year.
This formula proposes that when a body has a mass (measured at rest), it has a certain (very large) amount of energy associated with this mass. This is opposed to the Newtonian mechanics, in which a massive body at rest has no kinetic energy, and may or may not have other (relatively small) amounts of internal stored energy (such as chemical energy or thermal energy), in addition to any potential energy it may have from its position in a field of force. That is why a body's rest mass, in Einstein's theory, is often called the rest energy of the body. The E of the formula can be seen as the total energy of the body, which is proportional to the mass of the body.

Conversely, a single photon travelling in empty space cannot be considered to have an effective mass, m, according to the above equation. The reason is that such a photon cannot be measured in any way to be at "rest" and the formula above applies only to single particles when they are at rest. Photons are generally considered to be "massless," (i.e., they have no rest mass or invariant mass) even though they have varying amounts of energy.

This formula also gives the quantitative relation of the quantity of mass lost from a resting body or an initially resting system, when energy is removed from it, such as in a chemical or a nuclear reaction where heat and light are removed. Then this E could be seen as the energy released or removed, corresponding with a certain amount of mass m which is lost, and which corresponds with the removed heat or light. In those cases, the energy released and removed is equal in quantity to the mass lost, times the speed of light squared. Similarly, when energy of any kind is added to a resting body, the increase in the resting mass of the body will be the energy added, divided by the speed of light squared.

Answer 3

E = mc2 is one of the most famous equations, even to non-physicists. It states a relationship between energy (E), in whatever form, and mass (m). In this formula, c², the square of the speed of light in a vacuum, is the conversion factor required to formally convert from units of mass to units of energy, i.e. the energy per unit mass. In unit specific terms, E (joules) = M (kilograms) multiplied by (299792458 m/s)2.

Answer 4

Energy and mass are one and the same but in different forms. If you take a mass and propel it to the velocity of light, it turns to energy.
Energy taken to the velocity of light squared will turn energy back into matter.
Thats how it was explained to me but it never made any sense. I figured that if energy was turned back into mass or matter at the velocity of light, when it decelerated to 1x the speed of light it would change to energy again. The only way to keep it in a state of matter was to keep it in motion at twice the speed of light?

Answer 5

That very much depends on what about it you want explained. Basically, it means that mass is a form of energy. Say in a nuclear reaction x amount of energy is produced. This energy comes from a loss of y mass, where y = (c^2)/x.

Answer 6

You could explain the fact that this equation can be used to tell you how much energy is stored in matter. For example, you could show that if you instantly converted all the atoms in our bodies into energy, you'd realize we are nothing more than walking supernovas.

Answer 7

the amount of energy contained in a certain amount of matter is equal to that matter's mass times the speed of light ^2 which is approximately 9X10^16.

Answer 8

energy equals mass times the speed of light squared...dunno if that's what you want or not.

Answer 9

You go to the physics section and not maths!