Author:
Peter Berry
Date Of Creation:
15 February 2021
Update Date:
1 July 2024
Content
The formula E = mc was first known when it was introduced in a 1905 paper by Albert Einstein and became the most famous formula that set the stage for a breakthrough in later science and technology. In E = mc, E is energy, m is mass, and c is the speed of light in a vacuum. Even people who have no basic knowledge of physics have heard of this formula and, to some extent, know its influence, however, most of them do not. the real meaning of this formula. To put it simply, this is a formula that shows the relationship between energy and matter: especially that energy and matter are two different forms of the same thing. This simple formula changed the way people perceive energy and in turn has led to a series of important strides in the creation of today's modern technologies.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Understanding the formula
Define the variables in the formula. To understand any formula, the first step must be to grasp what each variable in the formula represents. In this case, E is the energy of the object in the stationary state, m is the mass of the object, and c is the speed of light in a vacuum.- The speed of light c is a constant with a value of approximately 3.00x10 meters per second. In Einstein's theory of relativity, c acts as a unit conversion factor instead of a constant. Since energy is measured in units of Joule (J) or kg m s, the use of c is the result of dimensional analysis to ensure that the relationship between energy and mass is a dimension.
Understand what energy is. Energy can exist in many forms such as thermal, electrical, chemical, nuclear, and so on. Energy can be exchanged between two systems, where one gives energy and the other receives energy.- Energy cannot be produced or lost, but can only be converted from one form to another. Coal, for example, has a lot of potential energy that can be converted to heat when burned.
Mass determination. The mass of an object is defined as the amount of matter contained in that object.- There are also a few other definitions of mass. "Constant mass" and "relative volume" are two of them. Constant mass, as the name implies, is constant mass under all circumstances. Meanwhile, the relative mass depends on the speed of the object. The mass in the formula E = mc is constant mass. This is an important point that contradicts the perception of many to suggest that the mass of an object are not change when speed.
- Remember that mass and weight are two different concepts. Weight is the gravity of an object, and mass is the amount of matter that makes up the object. Mass only changes when the object is physically modified, while weight changes depending on the gravity of the medium. Mass is measured in kilograms (kg), weight is measured in newtons (N).
- Similar to energy, mass is neither generated nor lost by itself, but only changes from one form to another. For example, an ice cube can melt into a liquid but its mass does not change.
Mass and energy are equivalent quantities. This formula states the similarity of mass and energy, and shows how much energy there is in a given mass. And most importantly, this formula shows us that a small mass also contains a huge amount of energy. advertisement
Part 2 of 2: Applying formula to practice
The source of usable energy. Most of the energy that people use today comes from burning coal and natural gas. When these fuels are burned, the bonds formed by valence electrons will be broken and energy released, so that people can utilize that energy source for life.
- Taking energy in this way is not only inefficient but also harmful to the environment.
Use Einstein's energy formula to increase the efficiency of energy metabolism. The formula E = mc shows that the nucleus of an atom contains more energy than the valence electrons of the atom. The energy released by breaking an atom is much greater than that released in the process of breaking electron bonds.
- Nuclear energy is also based on this principle. Nuclear reactors cause fission (which causes the atoms to separate), and people will reclaim the energy released from the fission.
Technological inventions come true thanks to E = mc. The formula E = mc has helped create many interesting new technologies that perhaps humans today can hardly live without them, for example:
- A positron scan (PET) uses radiation to see pictures of the inside of the body.
- Based on this formula, scientists have developed communication technologies from satellites and autonomous rovers.
- The age of the artifact is determined by the method of carbon radiation, the essence of which is based on the radioactive decay process according to the formula E = mc.
- Nuclear energy is a cleaner and more efficient source of energy than traditional energy sources that people still exploit and use.
