Re: What does E equals MC squared mean?

E=mc² has to do with Einstein's theory of relativity. It is actually not that simple, as the real equation is much more complex. As you approach the speed of light, energy use and mass becomes infinite. So, what does this mean for everyday life? Not much. You don't regularly travel at near the speed of light, and you're probably not doing physics experiments at home. So, actually you are dealing with a concept in theoretical physics which, right now, probably won't affect you much.

[note added by MadSci Admin: The energy obtained from nuclear fission or fusion (the former being used in nuclear power stations) is derived from the conversion of mass to energy. The amount of energy equals mc² where m is the mass difference between the original nucleii and the resulting parts. This is a "strong force" phenomenon. So, E=mc² really *does* affect our everyday lives because we get lots of our electrical power from nuclear reactions!]