Explain E = MC2

Explain E = MC2

Science

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silicon valley

Joined
27 Oct 04
Moves
101289
31 Mar 10

Originally posted by KazetNagorra
Don't you have some text on special relativity? There's got to be something about the Lorentz transformations in there.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorentz_transformation

a

Joined
08 Oct 06
Moves
24000
31 Mar 10

Originally posted by adam warlock
E=mc^2 is derived with the assumption that the speed of light is constant, so saying that E=mc^2 implies that c is constant is logically wrong (affirmation of the consequent).

In the context of theory I think that the former is quite easy to understand: you don't prove a thing that you assumed in the beginning. Take this example:

I assume that chi ...[text shortened]... we can arrive at E=mc^2 we also can't conclude that E=mc^2 implies the constancy of c.
Don't know how I missed this, thank you for that.

I understand that this is a bit circular, and I can see now why my wording would be incorrect.