KINETIC ENERGY OF A MOVING CHARGED PARTICLE AND

A MASS-ENERGY EQUIVALENCE LAW AS E = mc2

Musa D. Abdullahi
12 Bujumbura Street, Wuse 2, Abuja, Nigeria
e-mail: musadab@outlook.com
Abstract

H = ovEosin is the magnitude of magnetic field due a charged particle and its
electrostatic field Eo moving at speed v in space of permittivity o, where is
the angle between the direction of speed v and direction of field Eo. Due to
motion of the particle, a dynamic electric field of magnitude Ed = (v/c)Eocos,
is created to make the total field Eo + Ed = Eo{1 + (v/c)cos}. The kinetic
energy of a particle, moving with constant mass m, is K = mv2. Equating K
with the sum of energies of magnetic field H and dynamic electric field Ed,
gives a mass-energy equivalence law as E = mc2, where E is the energy of
electrostatic field Eo, in contrast to relativistic equation E = mc2. A charged
particle is assumed to be a spherical shell of radius a and surface charge .

Keywords: Charge, electric field, energy, magnetic field, mass, potential,

radius, relativity, speed.

1. Introduction
The mass-energy equivalence law, of the theory of special relativity, due to
Professor Albert Einstein [1], gives the energy content E of a particle of mass m as:
E = mc 2 (1)
where c is the speed of light in vacuum. This has become a most famous equation.
The mass-speed formula [1][2] is another famous equation giving the mass m
of a particle, of rest mass mo, moving with speed v, relative to an observer, as:
1

v2 2
m = mo 1 2
c
(2)
In equation (2) the mass m becomes infinitely large at the speed of light c. Special
relativity gives kinetic energy K of a particle of mass m moving with speed v as:
1
2 2
v 1
K = mc mo c = mo c 1 2 1 mo v 2
2 2 2

c 2
(3)
The kinetic energy is supposed to be contained in the increase of mass of the particle.
Equation (3) is correct only if v/c << 1, whereas the theory of special
relativity is supposed to be applicable at speeds comparable to that of light c. So,
either equation (1) or equation (2) is wrong or both equations are wrong. In this paper,
mass of a particle is taken as a constant, at the rest mass m = mo, independent of
speed. This, in accordance with Newtons second law of motion [3], makes mv2 the
kinetic energy of a particle of mass m moving with speed v. The kinetic energy is
contained in the energies of magnetic field and dynamic electric field generated.

1 A Mass-energy Equivalence Law as E = mc2 2004 Musa D. Abdullahi

 In addition to a magnetic field of magnitude H = Eoov(sin) [4], a charged
particle moving at speed v with its electrostatic field Eo at an angle to the direction
of motion, generates a dynamic electric field Ed = Eov/c(cos) [5]. A mass-energy law
is derived as E = mc2, by equating the kinetic energy, mv2, with the sum of
energies of magnetic field H and the dynamic electric field Ed. The energy densities
are oH2 and oEd2, where o is the permittivity and o the permeability of space.

2. Fields of a Moving Electric Charge

Figure 1 shows a stationary particle of charge Q with its electrostatic field Eo
making an angle with unit vector . If the particle moves with velocity v, in the -
direction, a magnetic field of intensity H is created, as given by vector product:
H = o v Eo = o vEo sin (4)
where is a unit vector perpendicular to the page. A dynamic electric field created, is:
v
Ed = Eo cos (5)
c
Electric field Es of a charged particle moving with speed v relative to an observer, is:
v
E s = Eo + Ed = Eo 1 + cos (6)
c

Figure 1. A stationary particle of charge Q with its surface charge and

electrostatic field Eo creating a potential at a point distance r from the center O.

The work done in creating a magnetic or electric field is equal to the energy of
the field. The sum W of energy of magnetic field in equation (4) and energy of
dynamic electric field in equation (5) gives the kinetic energy of the particle, as
volume integrals, thus:
1 1 1
2 V
o H 2 (dV ) + o E d2 (dV ) = mv 2
2 V 2
(7)
Substituting for H and Ed from equations (4) and (5), gives the kinetic energy as:
2
1 1 2 v 1
+ (cos 2 )(dV ) = mv 2
2 2 2 2
o o v Eo (sin )( dV ) o Eo 2
2 V 2 V c 2 (8)
2
1 1 v 1
2 V
o o2v 2 Eo2 (sin 2 + cos 2 )(dV ) = o 2 Eo2 (dV ) = mv 2
2 V c 2

2 A Mass-energy Equivalence Law as E = mc2 2004 Musa D. Abdullahi

Equation (8) gives E the total energy of the magnetic and electric fields as:
1 v2 v2 1
= E = mv 2
2
2 o Eo ( dV ) 2
(9)
2 Vc c 2
where the speed of light c in space, is:
1
c= (10)
o o
Equation (9) gives the mass-energy equivalence law as:
1
E = mc 2 (11)
2

3. Wave Propagation in an Electric Field

An electrostatic field Eo may be considered as a medium (like gas) of mass
density supporting propagation of a wave. A wave is created with speed c, along the
electric field, as a result of transverse oscillation of the field. This field has energy
density w = oEo2 and pressure P = oEo2 = 2w, which gives the speed c, as:
P 2w
c= =
(12)
1 2
w = c
2
A body of volume V, mass M, density = M/V and energy E, gives equation (11) as:
1
E = Mc 2 (13)
2

4. Mass of an Electric charge

If an electric charge, of magnitude Q, is to assume any configuration, it is
most likely to be a spherical shell of radius a and volume V, with uniform surface
charge , as in Figure 1. There is a balanced (not zero) electric field and a uniform
potential inside the spherical volume and a field discontinuity at the surface as a
boundary, with surface tension, forming an indestructible electrostatic bubble.
A spherical surface charge bounds a volume V in which there is an outward
electrostatic force balanced by an inward force at the outer surface, due to a surface
tension, to form a stable structure with energy and mass. The energy E of the charge,
contained in the electrostatic field, is given by the well-known classical formula:
Q2 3V 2
E= = (14)
8 o a 2 o
Applying equation (13) into equation (14), gives mass m of the spherical charge as:
Q2
m = o = 3oV 2 (15)
4 a
For a constant , an external pressure tends to decrease the volume V and minimize
energy E. This is balanced by internal pressure, as with air bubbles in the atmosphere.

5. Conclusions
5.1 The relativistic mass-velocity formula is inconsistent with the mass-
energy equivalence law.

3 A Mass-energy Equivalence Law as E = mc2 2004 Musa D. Abdullahi

 5.2 Potential energy of a charged particle is held in its electrostatic field.
5.3 Kinetic energy of a moving charged particle is contained in the
magnetic field and dynamic electric field generated.
5.4 The total energy of a charged particle moving at speed v with constant
mass m is m(c2 + v2).
5.5 The mass-energy equivalence law should be E = mc2 not E = mc2.
5.6 A charged particle is a spherical shell of radius a and surface charge .

References
[1] A. Einstein; On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies, Ann. Phys., 17
(1905), 891
[2] A. Einstein & H.A; Lorentz, The Principles of Relativity, Matheun, London
(1923).
[3] I. Newton (1687); Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy (Translated
by F. Cajori), University of California Press, Berkeley (1964).
[4] I.S. Grant & W.R. Phillips; Electromagnetism, John Willey & Sons, New York
(2000), p. 137-8
[5]https://www.academia.edu/10263870/Fields_and_Radiation_from_a_Moving_Elec
tric_Charge

4 A Mass-energy Equivalence Law as E = mc2 2004 Musa D. Abdullahi