Week Four - e=mc2, four forces, and gravity

How has e=mc2 affected you?

With e=mc2 in my life,  kinetic energy is defined by the mass and the speed of light squared.

This equation I learned in school mostly to explain why the United States had atomic bombs during World War II. Now, we can see in most things that produce hear (like ovens and heaters). It also contributes to the use of the energy source for cell phones, tvs, internet. All in all, it contributes to many of what we see around us, we just don't always realize it.

How would you compare the four "forces"?
Strong nuclear force, Electromagnetic force, and weak nuclear force would all be similar in the sense that they are determined by an force acting on a distance without having actual direct contact. Gravity would be the exception because it is based on the force that draws you in. Such as the gravity that keeps the earth orbiting around the sun, or objects and people anchored to the ground (unless of course there is a force that is going against gravity)


What is the function of gravity?
I remember in elementary school we would go to the American Museum of Natural History. In the planetarium, you could weigh yourself on different plants - you would see your weight on earth, then on Pluto, Mars, Saturn - you name it!  My classmates and I had a blast seeing how heavy we would be on each planet and how drastically it would change.

Although we may weigh differently, gravity's function is is the same - it keeps the planets in orbit, and here on earth, it keeps everything to stay on earth.