E mc
Albert Einstein's equation E=mc2 is probably the most well-known equation of all time. The equation describes the relation between energy and mass:
For a technical account of the equation, see relativistic mass.
According to the equation, the amount of energy obtainable from an object, such as an atom bomb, is equivalent to the mass of the object times the square of the speed of light. This amounts to a whole lot of energy, and was therefore the basis for the atomic research in the 1940s, both toward controlled nuclear reactions to provide usable energy (electricity, heat, etc.), as well as uncontrolled reactions in the form of the atom bomb and thermonuclear reactions.
However, it is important to note that such conversion is seldom 100% efficient (for a 100% efficient conversion of mass into energy see Antimatter as Fuel). For most of the cases, sub-products are produced, and therefore very little of the mass is actually changed to energy. In Einstein's equation, Mass IS Energy, but for the sake of clarity, the word converted is used.
Categories: Equations