• Question: What does E=MC squared mean

    Asked by kidsdef3nc to Chris, Eva, Michael, Paddy, Philip on 14 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Chris Jordan

      Chris Jordan answered on 10 Jun 2011:

      e=mc2
      the quick ‘n dirty answer.
      Stuff (mass) is the same as energy (eg power to do things)
      In some places (the SUN, nuclear power stations Large Hadron Collider) you can turn one thing into the other. C is the speed of light – a big number – so a little bit of mass is the same as a lot of energy.

    • Photo: Philip Denniff

      Philip Denniff answered on 11 Jun 2011:

      A little bit goes a long way. You get more bang for your buck. ALL you have to do is convert the buck into energy

    • Photo: Paddy Brock

      Paddy Brock answered on 13 Jun 2011:

      Sorry, can’t add much to this one. Relativity has always been a bit of a mystery to me, so thanks Chris!

      [Until now I’ve been relying on Einstein’s jokey version: “Gravitation cannot be held responsible for people falling in love. How on earth can you explain in terms of chemistry and physics so important a biological phenomenon as first love? Put your hand on a stove for a minute and it seems like an hour. Sit with that special girl for an hour and it seems like a minute. That’s relativity.” Albert Einstein]

    • Photo: Eva Bachmair

      Eva Bachmair answered on 13 Jun 2011:

      Sorry, dropped physics at school. Chris, well done

    • Photo: Michael Wharmby

      Michael Wharmby answered on 14 Jun 2011:

      Nice answer Chris – mass can be converted to energy. And you get a lot of energy for a small amount of mass!

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