The mass-energy equivalence is Albert Einstein’s most famous discovery. Its formula is E=mc2. It explains that a mass is energy. This is very remarkable because Einstein used an extremely simple formula to show something that people had never dreamed before.

Definition of variables

The E in E=mc2 is energy in Joules (J), which is the SI unit for heat and energy. The m in E=mc2 is the mass of the object in kilograms (kg), which is the SI unit for mass. The variable c in E=mc2 is the speed of light (299,792,458 m/s) in a vacuum. So c2 is a huge number, about 8.99*1016.

Meaning of formula

Since all masses equal to the energy it produces divided by the square of the speed of light, every mass has a tremendous amount of energy, rested or moving. A US cent weighs about 1 gram, so it has about 8.99*1013 Joules of energy, making it roughly equal to the energy released by 1 atomic bomb.

Importance of E=mc2

This formula is very important among military and daily use. It led to the invention of the first atomic bomb (Manhattan project). Even the florescent on your ceiling uses this formula!