unforum

[Bamba-MAN]

[SPEC] Beth McConnell : Wierd stuff

[chacko]

hm i made the connection with EMC^2, I mean we all know that equation right?

What was it for again? Theory of relativity? e = mass * something or toerh?

very good observations though.

[aaarrrgh (guest)]

Elizabeth MCConnell

[Guest]

BTw it's energy= mass*speed of light squared

RayJNT

[joebrent]

It is called the Theory of Relativity because it proved that position and time are determined by velocity, and the other way around. It eliminated the Newtonian principle of absolute space and time. Basically, it means that everything is a matter of perspective, and no two perspectives are the same.

[Omnie]

Hmm...and it said that the speed of light is the only constant thing in the universe. No matter what you're doing, the speed you're doing it at, or the reference frame that you're in, the speed of light is always the same. Interesting philosophical connection, maybe? Light = truth = maybe the light is seeping into Beth at a constant rate that is inevitable.

I know. That was a ridiculously large stretch.

Anyway...I also think we should keep in mind that E=MC^2 is not the actual theory of relativity. The special theory of relativity has all these complicated-looking equations relating velocities, times, and positions, and the general theory of relativity, from what I've heard, uses math so complex that I wouldn't understand the equations if I saw them. E=mc^2 is just a byproduct of the special relativity relation between velocity, mass, and energy. E=mc^2 is the energy stored in an object when it *isn't* moving at relativistic speeds, if I remember correctly from my physics class (which I might not). Hence the connection to the atomic bomb. Energy released--> big explosion.

[chancesend]

[Warning: Chance of brain explosion ahead]

Don't mean to be a party-pooper here, but the equation E=mc^2 has NOTHING to do with the Special Theory of Relativity, except that the above famous equation changes to E = gamma*mc^2, where gamma is the relativistic constant calculated by gamma = 1/sqrt(1-v^2/c^2)

As people have mentioned, E=mc^2 is simply stating that mass and energy are the same thing, except in different forms. Nothing more to that. From this we get things such as atomic bombs, the sun, etc. This is also known as "mass-energy equivalency"

The Special Theory of Relativity is simply saying that physics starts behaving oddly at very high speeds. To someone going very fast, distances seem to get shorter, outside objects seem heavier, and time gets slower. However, this effect is limited to the person moving fast, hence why it's a theory of "relativity" (ie, it's all relative). This is where we get the famous "twin paradox", where one twin goes on an interstellar journey at high speeds, and returns 5 years later to find his twin 50 years older than he is.

The only way the two equations are related is that they are both based on the assumption that the speed of light is constant to anyone, no matter how fast they're moving.

Finally, someone mentioned the General Theory of Relativity. This is separate to the Special T.o.R., and works with the idea that matter can "bend" space (and space-time). This is what leads to Star Trek-like stuff, such as black holes, wormholes, graviton particles/waves, etc. Someone mentioned complicated math? He he:
http://archive.ncsa.uiuc.edu/Cyberia/NumRel/mathmine1.html

If anyone cares at all, I might be able to elaborate, but I just thought I'd clear that up.

[Azathoth666]

(*puts on best Ralph Wiggum voice)

My cats' breath smells like cat food.

I... hate Physics. Its the smell, if there's such a thing...

[chacko]

good lord!

[erekose]

okay, here is a hopefully understandable explanation of how E=MC^2
relates to relativity.

By this point you know that energy= massXvelocity of light^2 right
well this means as you put more energy in to an object (say a spaceship)
to speed it up you will change its mass ever so slightly. This makes it heavier and harder to move so you need to put more energy into it to make it go faster which changes it's mass more ...
The c^2 in the equation is the constant which shows how mass changes with energy input. This means at low velocities there is almost no change in mass but at say 99% of lightspeed your going to be very heavy
which means that it's going to take somewhere on the order of an entire stars energy to speed you up. At the speed of light your mass finally becomes infinite which means you require infinite energy to speed up.

Still with me?nope? well Ill continue anyway.

Stay with me, cause kansas is about to go bye bye
Now, most of you will know that the heavier something is, the bigger it's gravity. now Eienstien in his general theory of relativity states that gravity warps peoples and objects perceptions of distance and time (read:space-time). so, if you weigh as much as a small galaxy, your going to have a massive effect on your own perception of whats happening, your also way beyond the weight watches stage .
to an obsever looking at your fast moving spaceship he will see you as a rather flat object with a very slow moving watch that is only just being beaten by a beam of light. however, to you, nothing will have happened.
you will seem to be the same size, your watch will be fine, and, get this
light will be travelling at the same speed that it would if you were standing still this means no matter how fast you go, light will be 200000 m/s faster than you. thats what they mean when they say lightspeed is a constant.

This is an incomplete explanation, but since this is not a science board I will leave those not scared off to find out more for themselves.

by the way E=MC^2 is a graph equation. if you make a graph out of this out of this you can get some idea of how much energy is in matter and how it changes.

end of overly confusing science lesson

[AnthraX101]

[erekose]

sorry about that anthrax. all photons in the universe will always travel
at the same speed. and that speed will always seem to be 288000m/s faster than the observer due to the warping of space-time encountered by objects traveling at high speeds (or low speeds, for that matter).The space around the fast traveller will warp to make the speed of light appear faster than it is

I've just confused things haven't I

lets just forget trying to understand it and find out what significance emc2
may actually have.

[Omnie]

Thanks, guys...General Relativity sounds awesome... Einstein must have had a horribly twisted mind, in the best sense. I thought the difference between special and general was that general involved acceleration, which complicates everything, is that right? And special is just for objects moving at constant velocities (very high velocities)?

I dunno what significance this has to anything in the game now...I think it's just something to keep in mind for later developments. Also important to keep in mind that E=mc^2 has more to do with the atomic bomb than with relativity...and the bomb fits a motif of the Matrix movies, namely the potential dangers of technology if used incorrectly.

[GenerousBurrito]

[...]

Einstein reported a remarkable consequence of his special theory of relativity: if a body emits a certain amount of energy, then the mass of that body must decrease by a proportionate amount. Meanwhile he wrote a friend, "The relativity principle in connection with the Maxwell equations demands that the mass is a direct measure for the energy contained in bodies; light transfers mass... This thought is amusing and infectious, but I cannot possibly know whether the good Lord does not laugh at it and has led me up the garden path." Einstein and many others were soon convinced of its truth. The relationship is expressed as an equation: E=mc².