The History Behind E=mc²
Introduced by Albert Einstein in 1905 as part of special relativity, E=mc² reshaped physics by linking matter and energy and enabling new understandings of nuclear processes and cosmology.
What is E=mc²?
E=mc² expresses mass–energy equivalence: energy (E) equals mass (m) times the speed of light squared (c²). It shows that mass is a highly concentrated form of energy.
Applications of E=mc²
From nuclear power and medical imaging to particle physics and astrophysics, mass–energy equivalence underpins technologies and theories that probe the smallest and largest scales of nature.
Real-World Examples
Nuclear reactions convert tiny amounts of mass into vast energy; in particle accelerators, particle mass can be created from kinetic energy in high-energy collisions.