What does E=MC2 mean in simple terms?

Question

I have browsed through websites, checked other Yahoo! Answers about this particular question and what not, but I fail to really "Understand" this formula. It may be because I am but 13 years old but if some one could explain in further detail
"Energy equals mass times the speed of light squared."
(Which obviously is a huge number!)

Answer 1

It means that all matter (stuff you can see and feel) is really just another form of energy. All matter...every single atom in the universe, has energy stored in it because it is really just a stable (from our perspective) form of energy. The amount of energy, in Joules, is dependent on the mass multiplied by the constant C^2.

Answer 2

This is Einstein's discovery that matter and energy are equivalent. If you were to convert mass entirely into energy, the energy you get from the given amount of matter is equal to the mass of the matter times the speed of light squared. It can also be done the other way around. A given amount of energy can be converted to matter by the same equation.

We do in fact know a clean way to get energy from matter, however we don't know how to do it yet. In addition to matter, there is this stuff out there called antimatter. You may or may not have heard of it before. Basically, when a particle of matter combines with an antimatter particle, they annihilate each other and release energy according to E=MC^2. There's no waste or anything, just pure energy. We can make antimatter using huge particle accelerators, but they can only be made in very small quantities and it takes a lot more energy to run the accelerator than you could get from the antimatter. But, if we could find some antimatter and figure out a way to harness it (you can't just keep it somewhere because it would combine with any matter around it), then all our energy problems would be solved. There could be galaxies out there made of antimatter, but there's no way for us to tell the difference between matter and antimatter when looking at stars and such through a telescope. The only way I can think to determine the difference would be to travel there.

Answer 3

When an atom is smashed, the energy that will be released by the electrons is equal to the mass of the atom times the speed of light squared. For a single atom, this number is very small. I don't know what units of measure they use to calculate or express the answer.

Answer 4

This means that matter and energy are, not just related, but interchangeable. In its simplest form, it basically tells you the energy output you would have if you completely annihilated an amount of matter. Normal chemical reactions result in the same mass in a different form. Any energy given off is through the forming and breaking of chemical bonds. However, this formula refers to the amount of energy given off, if that matter was completely destroyed - converted into pure energy, with no other by-products. Yes, it is a huge number.

Answer 5

Einstein put this theory that mass can be converted into energy and energy can be converted to mass. So if a little amount of mass disappears in a reaction, it appears in form of energy. Similarly he hasput a converse statement too. It says that when a substance is moving with a velocity 'v' then its mass increases.
(New mass=Initial mass/[1-(v^2/c^2)]^1/2)
That means that its kinetic energy is converted to mass.
And surely the energy when a little mass is lost released is huge in amount. This is the principle on which fusion is taking place on sun and energy is released. Nuclear bombs too work on same principle. Beacause in nuclear bomb some mass is lost and it gets converted into energy and the huge amount of energy causes the destruction

Answer 6

Energy = Mass * (the speed of light)2

(2 means squared)

Answer 7

It means that matter and energy are different forms of the same thing. A tiny bit of matter holds in itself an incredible amount of energy. If you can figure out a way to release energy from matter you could solve all the world's energy problems. Unfortunately right now the only practical application of the equation is nuclear power (fission) which creates lots of nasty radioactive waste byproducts, and warheads and bombs (fusion). We don't know of a clean way to extract energy from matter yet, but someday we might.

Answer 8

It basically means that if you split the nucleus of an atom or fuse 2 together, lots of energy will be released.

Answer 9

My guess is that all matter in the Universe exists upon a BRANE which acts as a local scaffold for energy. Light travels on the edge of the limits of the brane, and uses the brane for transportation purposes. Outside, energy can travel at FTL (faster than light) speeds. The brane and all energy and matter associated with it account for the definition of "spacetime". Light's ability to maintain it's speed at a constant 186,000 MPS is also related to the brane and spacetime. Convert matter to pure energy, and you obtain light. So light is the product of mass converted to energy while both exist upon the brane. The equation E=MC2 describes the fundamental proportions involved with the brane, what constitutes "inside" and "outside". E=MC2 describes the "span" of spacetime. The equation should reveal the shape and size of the brane, if it is correct. We live in a bubble. It also occurs to me that light, while partially existing on the outer edges of the brane, may also be fused with the brane. Light's wave nature may travel on the outer envelope, while its particle nature may be fused with the inner part of the brane. This is the dual wave/particle nature of light. C squared is thus light applied to itself, the dual wave and particle aspects. Thus, light squared would describe the brane's span, it's zenith and nadir. C2 is LIGHT (wave nature) times LIGHT (particle nature). To sum up: light squared defines the space-time brane, as manifested through light's wave/particle duality.

Answer 10

this is the energy stored in an object

all objects are made of energy