Conceptual Thesis A Dynamic Interpretation of E = m c^2 at the Atomic Scale

Einstein’s famous formula, E = m c^2, establishes the equivalence between mass and energy. In nuclear physics, this relation is confirmed by fission and fusion reactions: the mass of nuclei decreases slightly, and this difference appears as released energy. Traditionally, the total energy of a massive particle in motion is described by special relativity: E_\text{tot} = \gamma m c^2 = \frac{m c^2}{\sqrt{1 - v^2/c^2}} where \gamma = 1 / \sqrt{1 - v^2/c^2}. Theoretically, as v \to c, \gamma \to \infty, and the total energy becomes infinite, which poses a conceptual question regarding physical limits in the nuclear domain.