Tag: Mass energy equivalence

A single paperclip, if its entire mass were converted to energy, could produce an explosion comparable to the Hiroshima atomic bomb. This staggering potential reveals a deep truth about the relationship between energy and mass, but can this energy be measured in grams?

A single gram of matter, if fully converted to energy via Einstein's equation ($E=mc^2$), contains 89.9 petajoules of energy. In a matter-antimatter annihilation reaction, the total energy released per gram of *antimatter* is twice this amount, making antimatter the most energy-dense substance known. However, this is a theoretical peak, with more practical sources also offering incredible power.

According to the first law of thermodynamics, the total energy of an isolated system remains constant; energy is not created or destroyed, but merely converted from one form to another. This means a system's total energy is a sum of its many constituent parts, but what is total energy made up of specifically?

According to Einstein's theory of special relativity, a body at rest possesses a tremendous amount of energy, even without any motion. This intrinsic energy, known as rest energy, is directly related to its mass through the iconic equation $E=mc^2$. Understanding what is the energy of a body at rest requires looking beyond simple kinetic energy to explore the fundamental nature of mass and energy.