Equations

Austin S. Jones
Equation 1: E = mc2
Q1: Find out what the things in this equation (using your book or a net search will do it) are and
identify them as either variables or constants.
A. E = energy and it is a variable, m = mass and is also a variable, and c = the speed of light
which is a constant.
Q2: What is the size of c2?
A. If I understand the question correctly, then the size of c2 is the speed of light squared which
equals 8.98755179 1016 m2 / s2
Q3: Are mass and energy related? Answer yes or no and then provide a brief explanation of your
answer based on the analysis of the equation.
A. Yes, They are related. I have come to this conclusion based on the fact that they are the only
two variables in this equation and are on opposing sides of the equation. meaning if the mass
increases so does the energy and if the energy decreases, so does the mass.
Q4: Analyze the statement: if it is possible to change mass into energy a little bit of mass could
produce a lot of energy. Is it true or not? Provide a brief explanation based on your analysis of
the equation
A. True. The reason being is that even if mass is a small number such as 1, you still multiply it
by the speed of light squared which is an enormous sum equal to 8.98755179 X 1016 m2 / s2.

Equation 2: d = gt2/2
Q5. Which of the following statements do you agree with and why? Use the equation to support
your answer (you can also refer to the learning from equations module files).
a) heavy objects fall faster than lighter objects
b) objects fall at the same speed (if no air resistance) and weight doesnt matter.
A. b). the reason being, using the equation, is that their is no variable for mass or weight in this
equation and it designates that all objects fall at g which for here on earth is 9.8m/s.

Equation 3: v = gt
Q6: Which of the following statements do you agree with and why? Use the equation to support
your answer (you can also refer to the learning from equations module files).
c) heavy objects fall faster than lighter objects
d) objects fall at the same speed (if no air resistance) and weight doesnt matter.
A. d). the reason for this is, like in the previous question, there is no place to put weight/ mass in
this equation. The only variables here are the velocity and time.

Galileo hammer feather experiment

Q7: For most of recorded history, people thought that heavy objects naturally and under all
conditions fall faster than lighter objects. Why did it take us so long to realize the true state of
affairs?
A. The reason it took humans so long to discover why objects fall at the same rate was due to the
fact that they did not calculate in or possibly not even know about the fact that air causes friction.
most early thinkers probably took light objects such as a feather, and compared them to heavy
objects, a rock for instance. To them, it was obvious that the rock would hit the ground before the
feather did but as we now know, if you remove air and other sources of friction from this
equation, they fall at the same rate.
Q8: The Earths gravity DOES exert a greater force on heavier objects than lighter ones (these
forces are called weight). However, with no air resistance objects fall at the same speed in a
given gravity field. The weight difference can be thousands of pounds to one and the objects still
fall at the same speed. What physical property of mass compensates for the difference in applied
forces?
A. If im to understand the question correctly, the reason these to masses, though extreme in
difference, fall at the same rate due to the fact that the mass has the physical property that mass is
affected by the earths mass which is 9.8m/s.

Equation 4: e = 1 Tcold/Thot
Q9: Is it possible to achieve 100% efficiency, in theory, by lowering the temperature of the
environment surrounding the heat engine (Tcold)? Why or why not?

A. Yes. Eventually at some point, if you were to reach 0 kelvin (which is only theoretical), the
Thot would become of no consequence to the equation seeing as how you would be dividing 0 by
some other number, which is zero.
Q10: Is it possible, in practice, to achieve 100% efficiency by lowering the temperature of the
environment surrounding the heat engine (Tcold)? Why or why not?
A. No. The reason being is that to acheive 100% efficiency, you would have to have the
temperature be at 0 kelvin which, like I said is only theoretical. The reason being is because as
soon as you introduced anything to the are to test it, it would warm up. likewise the heat from the
engine and even just having the engine their would warm up the temperature surrounding the
engine. Theoretically its possible but in practice its not.
Q11: Is it possible to achieve 100% efficiency, in theory, by raising the internal operating
temperature of the heat engine (Thot)? Why or why not?
A. No. No matter how hot you are able to get you would not be able to achieve 100% energy
efficiency. In the equation Thot is placed on the bottom so as the number grows, yes you would be
getting closer and closer to 100% but you would only ever get to 99.999% in theory.
Q12: Is it possible to achieve 100% efficiency, in practice, by raising the internal operating
temperature of the heat engine (Thot)? Why or why not?
A. No. Like in the previous question, you could only ever get really really close but not actually
able to achieve it.
Q13: If your car is not electric, it is a heat engine and is subject to the efficiency equation. Is it
possible to build a car, using any kind of burning fuel, that is 100% efficient? Explain.
A. No. The reason being is even in the best circumstance of keeping the outside temperature
extremely cold and inside temperature an extreme heat, you still would not be able to achieve
100% energy efficiency (that is, not until we have some way of producing 0 kelvin).