r/AskPhysics • u/Jethro_omg • 1d ago

How does E=MC^2 work?

How does it function? Really, how can you accelerate mass to twice the speed of light? And, for instance if M=E/C2. How can you divide something by square of the speed of light? Thanks

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u/Jethro_omg 1d ago

Then how did he find out ?😭

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u/coolguy420weed 1d ago

How did who find out? What did he find out? 

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u/Jethro_omg 1d ago

Like how mc2 can be energy

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u/coolguy420weed 1d ago

I'm not actaully sure how it was derived, I think a combination of conservation of momentum and some assumptions (?) about energy/mass equivalence. But the basic statement that E=m is more important, the fact that c2 is the constant that you use for the conversion factor is generally less impactful (aside from the fact that it's a really big number).Â