Source: https://guthlabs.ai/docs/instruments/mass-energy-equivalence-calculator-e-mc2/mechanism/

instrument mechanism / verified-clean

# Mass-Energy Equivalence Calculator (E=mc²) mechanism

The inspectable method record for Mass-Energy Equivalence Calculator (E=mc²), kept separate from implementation and qualification.

Status: **VERIFIED_CLEAN**Lifecycle: **verified-clean**

## Model scope

The core formula is correct, but the specification needs an exact definition of the mass/Δm input and an unambiguous treatment of the “MeV toggle.” It should state whether MeV is an output unit, an input energy-equivalent unit, or shorthand for MeV/c² mass. The “paperclip” preset should identify its assumed mass and should not imply that all rest energy can be extracted in practice.

- E=mc² is the correct standard formula for rest-energy equivalence when mass is expressed in kilograms and c is in m/s.

- For mass-defect energy release, the formula must use the mass defect Δm, not necessarily the object's total mass; the interface does not distinguish these quantities.

- The stated “kg or amu/MeV toggle” is ambiguous: MeV is an energy unit, while an input mass would conventionally be expressed in MeV/c². The conversion behavior is not specified.

## Units and conventions

- Use exact c = 299792458 m/s, so c² = 8.9875517873681764×10^16 m²/s².

- Use 1 u = 1.66053906660×10^-27 kg.

- Use 1 eV = 1.602176634×10^-19 J exactly, hence 1 MeV = 1.602176634×10^-13 J.

- Use 1 kWh = 3.6×10^6 J exactly.

- For amu inputs, interpret amu as unified atomic mass unit u.

- For mass-defect calculations, interpret the supplied mass as Δm and require Δm ≥ 0 for an energy-release result.

## Inspectable vector

One of 4 source-bound review vectors:

````
{
  "inputs": {
    "mass": 1,
    "mass_unit": "kg",
    "calculation": "rest_energy"
  },
  "expected_outputs": {
    "energy_J": 89875517873681760,
    "energy_MeV": 5.609588603804452e+29,
    "energy_kWh": 24965421631.578266
  },
  "working": "E = mc² = 1 kg × (299792458 m/s)² = 1 × 8.9875517873681764×10^16 = 8.9875517873681764×10^16 J.\\nE(MeV) = 8.9875517873681764×10^16 J ÷ 1.602176634×10^-13 J/MeV = 5.609588603804452×10^29 MeV.\\nE(kWh) = 8.9875517873681764×10^16 J ÷ 3.6×10^6 J/kWh = 2.4965421631578266×10^10 kWh = 24965421631.578266 kWh."
}
````

## Failure boundary

**BREAK_CLAIMED** · SELF_FLAGGED

The extreme finite-looking input mass = 1e308 kg overflows the plain JavaScript arithmetic result to Infinity, so the instrument needs an explicit range check or overflow handling. A separate semantic hazard exists for negative mass defects because signed E is negative while released energy is normally reported as a positive magnitude.

## Other records

[01**Overview**](<https://guthlabs.ai/docs/instruments/mass-energy-equivalence-calculator-e-mc2/>)[03**Implementation**](<https://guthlabs.ai/docs/instruments/mass-energy-equivalence-calculator-e-mc2/implementation/>)[04**Qualification**](<https://guthlabs.ai/docs/instruments/mass-energy-equivalence-calculator-e-mc2/qualification/>)

## Sources and evidence

These pointers bind the page to evidence. They do not grant authority or collapse verification into deployment.

- `VERIFIED_LEDGER.json`

- `evidence-tranche5/tranche5-results.json`

- `BOUNDARY_HAZARD_CATALOG.json`