The relationship between energy, mass, and velocity is described by Einstein's famous equation: E = mc².
In this equation:
- E represents energy,
- m represents mass, and
- c represents the speed of light in a vacuum, which is approximately 3.0 x 10^8 meters per second (m/s).
This equation shows that energy and mass are interchangeable and directly related to each other through the speed of light. It states that the energy (E) of an object is equal to its mass (m) multiplied by the square of the speed of light (c²).
This equation demonstrates the concept of mass-energy equivalence, which implies that mass can be converted into energy and vice versa. It signifies that even a small amount of mass contains an enormous amount of energy. This relationship is particularly relevant when considering high-speed particles or objects approaching the speed of light.
Furthermore, the equation also indicates that as an object's velocity approaches the speed of light, its energy (and therefore mass) increases significantly. However, it is important to note that the equation E = mc² is applicable for objects with rest mass (mass measured when the object is at rest). For objects traveling at speeds close to the speed of light, additional relativistic equations are needed to account for the effects of special relativity.