1. What is the Mass-Energy Equivalence Calculator?

Definition: This calculator computes the energy equivalent of a given mass using Einstein's famous equation E=mc².

Purpose: It demonstrates the relationship between mass and energy, fundamental to nuclear physics and relativity.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses Einstein's mass-energy equivalence formula:

Where:

• \( E \) — Energy (Joules, J)
• \( m \) — Mass (kilograms, kg)
• \( c \) — Speed of light (3 × 10⁸ m/s)

Explanation: The energy content of mass is calculated by multiplying the mass by the square of the speed of light.

3. Importance of Mass-Energy Calculation

Details: This calculation is fundamental to understanding nuclear reactions, particle physics, and the energy potential of matter.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the mass in kilograms and the speed of light in m/s (default 300,000,000 m/s). All values must be > 0.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why is the speed of light squared in the equation?
A: The squaring of c comes from Einstein's theory of special relativity and represents the enormous energy contained in even small amounts of mass.

Q2: What's a practical example of this calculation?
A: 1 kg of mass converted completely to energy would produce about 90 petajoules (9 × 10¹⁶ J) of energy.

Q3: Can I change the speed of light value?
A: While you can input different values, in physics c is a fundamental constant (299,792,458 m/s exactly).

Q4: How does this relate to nuclear energy?
A: Nuclear reactions convert a small fraction of mass to energy, which is why they're so energy-dense compared to chemical reactions.

Q5: Why are the energy values so large?
A: Because c² is an extremely large number (9 × 10¹⁶ m²/s²), showing how much energy is "stored" in mass.