Interpreting Einstein Equation

Dr. Jassim Taqui

Almost everyone knows the Einstein equation put simply in its final form in simple mathematics:

E = mc²

You can deduct so much information from this equation. First, energy (E) and mass(m) are interchangeable i.e. you can convert matter into energy and convert energy into matter. The latter is difficult to visualize since it is impossible in practice. You can burn a piece of wood and change it into energy but it is impossible to reverse the process by collecting energy and other outputs of the burning and create that piece of wood as the equation suggests.

 The square of the speed of light c is huge since c is 299,793,458 meters per second suggests that we can obtain huge energy if we bombard the atom with a neutron and deaccelerate its speed using heavy water in such a way that it resides into the atom. In such an eventuality the atom would disintegrate leaving huge energy, which is the concept of the atom bomb.

Thus the equation suggests a way of making an atom bomb.

However, Einstein faced a problem while trying to find the probability of finding the electron. The calculation ended with 0 divided by 0, which is infinity, which is outside the realm of applied mathematics. Einstein overcame the problem by postulating that no moving particle can speed greater than the speed of light i.e. the speed of light is constant.

With this postulate, Einstein was able to calculate the probability of finding the electron and established firmly his theory of relativity that produced Quantum Mechanics.  

PS: the writer holds a BS from Basra University with a double major in Physics and Mathematics and MS from Quaid-i- Azam University in  Physical chemistry.