Rest energy

The rest energy $E$ or rest mass-energy of a particle is its energy when it is at rest relative to a given inertial reference frame. This type of energy can immediately change into Potential Energy and into Kinetic (Active) Energy. It is defined by the math formula as follows:

:$E=m\_0\; c^2$,

where $m\_0$ is the rest mass of the particle and $c$ is the speed of light in a vacuum.

The equivalence of mass and energy can be derived from the Special Theory of Relativity. The mass of a given body is proportional to its kinetic energy, viz.

$dm=frac\{dE\_k\}\{c^2\}$,

with the implication that energy and mass are equivalent. Therefore, a particle which remains at rest with respect to a given inertial frame has a certain amount of energy if it has a rest mass. Like other forms of energy, rest energy may be converted to other forms of energy as in nuclear fission.

Other References

*Energy
*Potential Energy
*Kinetic Energy