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RandyD123
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I'm not sure how the speed of light squared makes any sense? What is MASS X C2?
What about it doesn't make sense?RandyD123 said:I'm not sure how the speed of light squared makes any sense?
Energy.RandyD123 said:What is MASS X C2?
I'd review your exponents before asking these question. Squaring and doubling are not the same thing. 42=16, not 8.RandyD123 said:I see it as something like 22=4 and 42=16. So I don't get how we "double" the speed of light?
I see 16?Isaac0427 said:I'd review your exponents before asking these question. Squaring and doubling are not the same thing. 42=16, not 8.
Yes, 42=4*4=16. Similarly, c2=c*c.RandyD123 said:I see 16?
I'd just like to expand on this so the OP doesn't get confused:jtbell said:Consider the units of mc2:
[kg]·[m/s]2 = kg·m2/s2 = J (joules) which is a unit of energy.
The c2 is basically a unit-conversion factor between kg and J.
Well, that's where the problem is, they are similar but not the same thing.Isaac0427 said:Yes, 42=4*4=16. Similarly, c2=c*c.
Or a more precise analogy:Gigel said:It's just like one cannot say that 16 geese is 4 times more than 4 houses.
Correct, I chose to leave the units out of it however, just to explain the concept of exponentiation. I mentioned dimensional analysis in an earlier post.Gigel said:Well, that's where the problem is, they are similar but not the same thing.
Take number 4. Then 4*4=16, which is a number 4 times higher.
Take c, which is about 3*108 m/s. Then c2=c*c=9*1016 m2/s2. Then c2 is not simply 3*108 times higher than c. It is 3*108 m/s higher than c. Their different physical dimensions (or units) mean that c and c2 are not the same kind of quantity, like both were numbers. They are different kinds of physical quantities and they cannot be compared.
It's just like one cannot say that 16 geese is 4 times more than 4 houses.
Gigel said:It's just like one cannot say that 16 geese is 4 times more than 4 houses.
Nope. In your example you are counting animals. If you were measuring your livestock, it would be different. That's why in estimating livestock cows and sheep don't count the same.PeroK said:Would it be wrong to say: "I have four times as many geese as chickens"?
Gigel said:Nope. In your example you are counting animals. If you were measuring your livestock, it would be different. That's why in estimating livestock cows and sheep don't count the same.
The operation of multiplication is 'outside' the choice of the dimensions of the quantities being multiplied.PeroK said:It's like two different types of physical multiplication. I think that's quite interesting. Maybe it's just me.
A metre is one-dimensional. Squaring it makes it 2-dimensional. It is no longer a metre but a square metre. If you have 4 rows of 4 square metres you also have 16 square metres just like you have 16 marbles. Study dimensional analysis as mentioned above and all will become clear.PeroK said:Would it be wrong to say: "I have four times as many geese as chickens"?
The relationship between numbers and physical quantities is, perhaps, surprisingly subtle.
For example: if you have 4 rows of 4 marbles, then you have 16 marbles, not 16 square marbles. Yet, 4m by 4m is 16##m^2##.
Also, mass x velocity = momentum, but mass + velocity makes no sense.
Yet: 1 goose + 1 chicken makes sense, whereas, what would be meant by goose x chicken is not so clear!
RandyD123 said:I'm not sure how the speed of light squared makes any sense? What is MASS X C2?
RandyD123 said:I see it as something like 22=4 and 42=16. So I don't get how we "double" the speed of light?
The equation for calculating the speed of light squared is E=mc², where E represents energy, m represents mass, and c represents the speed of light.
The speed of light squared is used in equations because it represents the conversion factor between mass and energy. This means that mass and energy are interchangeable and can be converted into each other using this equation.
The significance of the speed of light squared is that it is a fundamental constant in the theory of relativity, which describes the relationship between space and time. It also plays a crucial role in understanding the behavior of particles at high speeds and in nuclear reactions.
The speed of light squared is equal to the speed of light (c) multiplied by itself, or c². This relationship shows that the speed of light is a very large number and has a significant impact on the laws of physics.
Yes, the speed of light squared is a constant value and does not change. This is one of the fundamental principles of the theory of relativity and has been confirmed through numerous experiments and observations.