E = mc2, m = E/c2, and c2 = E/m ........so what is c2 ?

Question

Saw these equations in an answer to somebody else's question.

Answer 1

C stands for the speed of light in a vaccum which is approx 300,000,000 meters per second. Saying simply the speed of light is incorrect as light slows down depending on the medium through which it is travelling. I also read somewhere that someone has managed to completly stop light so that it isnt moving what-so-ever.
the 2 following the c means that it is squared

Answer 2

The "c2", or c^2 if the "c2" is not understood, is not only a numerical value, but is an energy value. This is obvious in that it is the result of a relationship between energy (heat in this instance - which causes the c2 value to appear) and mass. This value is a physical time value (how quickly the present moves into becoming our past = time flow, and it is what we know as the force of gravity). The value of "c2" shows the length of physical time, and is the absolute basis of our existence. That is, everything in our universe, mass and energy, is composed of physical time.

In that the force of gravity performs work, and in order for work to be performed an energy source is required, it is obvious that the force of gravity cannot exist apart from an energy source. If this were to be possible, then the concept that energy cannot be either created or destroyed would become invalid, because the force of gravity does perfrom work, i.e. hydroelectric power.

http://360.yahoo.com/noddarc
http://timebones.blogspot.com

Answer 3

The limitations imposed by the available font makes it difficult to properly express mathematical equations. The number 2 should appear as a superscript to the symbol c. In other words c is squared. With the font available this should be written as c^2.
Missing out the ^ symbol is rather slipshod.
Just in case you are in doubt about the meaning of the symbols, E is energy, c is the velocity of light and m is the 'rest' mass.

Answer 4

In the equation E/ m= C^2,
E is energy, m is the mass and C is a constant.

If energy is measured in joules, mass is measured in Kg,
Then the constant C = 3x10^8.

The equation gives the amount of energy when unit mass is annihilated (completely converted to energy).

When one Kg of mass is annihilated, 9x 10^16 joule of energy will be liberated.

The mass of any body increases with its velocity.

In that view, the above equation gives the internal energy per unit mass when the body is at rest. And it gives the total energy per unit mass when the body is moving.

In the above equation m is not a constant and it is a function of velocity, the maximum value of which is C.

Answer 5

c is the notation for the speed of light, 3 x 10^8 m/s.
c2 would be the square of the speed of light which is the constant (3 x 10^8)^2 = 9 x 10^16 m/s.

Answer 6

Should actually be C^2 rather than C2. C stands for the velocity of light in space.

Answer 7

E=mc2 (Actually, E =mcsquared) is the formula for Albert Einstein's Theory of Relativity. It means the amount of available energy in a system equals the amount of mass(m) in it times the speed of light(c) squared. That's a lot of energy, no matter how small the system!

Answer 8

Maybe you're asking what is E/m (which is what c squared is equal to)?

Just reading E/m as a ratio (Energy per mass), it seems to suggest that c squared is the amount of energy contained in a certain amount of mass.

It also seems to suggest that this ratio is fixed for any element or compound because c (and therefore c squared) is considered a universal constant.

Answer 9

c=the speed of light, at 3 times 10 to the power of 8 meters per second. The 2, which is written incorrectly needs to be above the c, to indicate that c is squared, or times two.

Later....

Answer 10

Read Stephen Hawkings brief history of time, as he explains this simple and elequant equation in a way that my 2 year old would understand