Register | Sign In


Understanding through Discussion


EvC Forum active members: 65 (9164 total)
3 online now:
Newest Member: ChatGPT
Post Volume: Total: 916,914 Year: 4,171/9,624 Month: 1,042/974 Week: 1/368 Day: 1/11 Hour: 0/1


EvC Forum ⇒ Science Forums ⇒ Is It Science? ⇒

Misconceptions of E=MC^2

Thread ▼ Details

Email This Thread
Newer Topic | Older Topic
  
Author Topic:   Misconceptions of E=MC^2
humoshi
Junior Member (Idle past 5279 days)
Posts: 25
Joined: 01-29-2008

Normal Thread Display
Message 48 of 243 (452124)
01-29-2008 2:54 PM 		Reply to: Message 39 by Chiroptera
01-29-2008 2:05 PM

Re: plain english please
quote:
What the equation means is that when energy is converted to matter with mass, then the amount of mass is equal to the amount of energy times the square of the speed of light.
Does is really make sense to say energy is converted to mass or vice versa? This would seem to violate the conservation of energy.
​
Is it more accurate to say that one form of energy called mass is converted to another form of energy (gamma rays or some other high energy photon?)
​
I'm not authority on this subject, just curious.
This message is a reply to:
 Message 39 by Chiroptera, posted 01-29-2008 2:05 PM Chiroptera has replied
Replies to this message:
 Message 50 by Chiroptera, posted 01-29-2008 3:02 PM humoshi has replied
 Message 82 by cavediver, posted 01-30-2008 5:26 AM humoshi has replied
  
humoshi
Junior Member (Idle past 5279 days)
Posts: 25
Joined: 01-29-2008

Normal Thread Display
Message 51 of 243 (452138)
01-29-2008 3:24 PM 		Reply to: Message 50 by Chiroptera
01-29-2008 3:02 PM

I wasn't trying to be pedantic.
​
I just think a lot of confusion arises when a laymen (like myself and Heinrik) tries to understand the equation if that's not explicitly stated. Otherwise people get the impression that energy can exist in and of itself and doesn't have to be associated with something.
This message is a reply to:
 Message 50 by Chiroptera, posted 01-29-2008 3:02 PM Chiroptera has replied
Replies to this message:
 Message 52 by Chiroptera, posted 01-29-2008 3:37 PM humoshi has not replied
 Message 53 by teen4christ, posted 01-29-2008 4:21 PM humoshi has not replied
 Message 60 by Coragyps, posted 01-29-2008 10:36 PM humoshi has not replied
  
humoshi
Junior Member (Idle past 5279 days)
Posts: 25
Joined: 01-29-2008

Normal Thread Display
Message 104 of 243 (452474)
01-30-2008 1:24 PM 		Reply to: Message 82 by cavediver
01-30-2008 5:26 AM

Re: plain english please
quote:
No, mass is not a form of energy - mass is a measure of energy, irrespective of the form of the energy.
Ah yes, I knew that somewhere in my brain.
​
I think what I meant to say is:
​
Is it more accurate to say that one form of energy called matter is converted to another form of energy
That's probably inaccurate too, though.
This message is a reply to:
 Message 82 by cavediver, posted 01-30-2008 5:26 AM cavediver has not replied
  
Date format: mm-dd-yyyy
Timezone: ET (US)
  
Newer Topic | Older Topic
Jump to:


Copyright 2001-2023 by EvC Forum, All Rights Reserved

™ Version 4.2
Innovative software from Qwixotic © 2024