Relativistic Energy
Equation (3.169) can be
written
![$\displaystyle m\,c^2 = K + m_0\,c^2.$](img2614.png) |
(3.173) |
Let us define the relativistic energy,
, of our particle as
![$\displaystyle E = m\,c^2.$](img2615.png) |
(3.174) |
The previous two equations suggest that the particle possesses two types of energy. First,
the particle possesses kinetic energy,
, by virtue of its motion. Second, the particle
possesses rest mass energy,
![$\displaystyle E_0 = \frac{1}{2}\,m_0\,c^2,$](img2616.png) |
(3.175) |
by virtue of its rest mass. The conjecture that mass is a form of energy was first made by Einstein in 1905.
Incidentally, Equation (3.174) implies that conservation of energy in relativistic dynamics is
equivalent to conservation of relativistic mass.