Final answer:
To solve E = mc² for c, rearrange the equation to c² = E/m and then take the square root of both sides to find c.
Step-by-step explanation:
The equation E = mc² represents the mass-energy equivalence as proposed by Albert Einstein's theory of relativity. To solve for c, the speed of light, we rearrange the equation by dividing both sides by m (mass).
Here's how you can solve for c:
- Identify the known variables, where m is mass and E is energy.
- Rearrange the equation to solve for c: c² = E/m.
- Take the square root of both sides of the equation to solve for c: c = √(E/m).
This gives us the formula to calculate the speed of light based on the energy and mass of an object being converted.