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AlligatorTurquoise1170

Pourquoi la vitesse de la lumière est au carré dans l'équation E = mc²?

Kylan T

Hi AlligatorTurquoise,

Thanks for your question!

This is simply a matter of units! Energy (E) is measured in joules (J), which are the same as kg m^2 s^-2. Mass (m) is measured in kg and the speed of light (c) in m/s (which is the same as m s^-1).

If you square the speed of light, you get m^2/s^2, or m^2 s^-2.

Therefore: E = mc^2 -> J = kg m^2 s^-2 -> kg m^2 s^2 = kg m^2 s^2. The units are then all the same each side of the equation!

You can check out this web page for further information:

How to Understand E=mc2: 7 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow

https://www.wikihow.com/Understand-E%3Dmc2

In one of Albert Einstein's revolutionary scientific papers published in 1905, E=mc2 was introduced; where E is energy, m is mass, and c is the speed of light in a vacuum. Since then, E=mc2 has become one of the most famous equations in...

Don't hesitate to reach out again if needed:)

Kylan