E=mc2

By John LiberatoreDisclaimer: Picture content does not belong to author.

Table of Contents

• Page 3 – How do I calculate E=mc2?• Page 4 – How is E=mc2 so destructive?• Page 5 – Was Einstein the first to think of E=mc2?• Page 6 – Conclusion• Page 7 – Glossary• Page 8 – Index• Page 9 – Bibliography

How do I calculate E=mc2?

You have to calculate c2 first, which is the speed of light times itself. c2 is 20043671E+12 meters per second. “E+12” means there are 12 zeroes after the number.

Then you need the “m”. “m” stands for the mass, in kilograms. “mc2” together means “m” times 20043671E+12.

So then you have the energy (in joules). If something had a mass of one kilogram, then it could be converted into 20043671E+12 joules of energy.

How is E=mc2 so destructive?

With this astonishing new formula that Einstein came up with, German scientists saw this as a weapon and started making one right away.

Einstein was afraid of what Germany might do if they were the first to make one of these atomic weapons, and he wrote a desperate letter to the president asking him to make these atomic bombs.

That was how World War II was fought. With atomic bombs based off Einstein’s formula E=mc2.

Was Einstein the first to think of E=mc2?

In fact, no. Einstein hadn’t. Hasenöhrl was the first to think of this equation, but he did it slightly incorrect. His equation was “E = 3/8c2”.

Another scientist thought that atoms interacted with their own fields: “E0 = 3/4mc2”.

The world would never have came up with a correct equation for special relativity if Albert Einstein hadn’t come up and said “E=mc2”.

Conclusion

So in conclusion, E=mc2 explains how much energy an object can produce, thus leading to the atomic bomb.

Yes, E=mc2 has become so famous over the years that eventually it has become a symbol of math. It hasn’t become any easier to understand, though.

Glossary

• joule (joōl) noun. a form of energy equal to around 0.23 calories.

• atomic (əˈtämˈik) adjective. using the explosion from smashing an atom.

• special relativity noun. a theory stating that the speed of light and the laws of physics are always the same.

Index

• atomic bomb. 4, 6• E=mc2. 3-5• Germany. 4• Hasenöhrl. 5• joule. 3, 6• relativity. 5, 8• speed of light. 3 • World War II. 4

Bibliography

• Wishinsky, Frieda. Albert Einstein. ©2005 DK Publishing.

• http://tinyurl.com/jouletocalories• http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/ww2-pi

x/abomb.jpg• Brallier, Jess. Who was Albert Einstein?. ©2002

Grosset & Dunlap.• http://tinyurl.com/discovere-mc2• http://www.adamauton.com/warp/emc2.html• http://tinyurl.com/definerelativity