An overview of the conceptualization of the mass-energy relationship in articles published in scientific journals

Abstract

This essay is a synthetic presentation of a research that proposed to answer the following question: “How is the mass-energy relationship being conceptualized in articles published in scientific journals?” From a data collection on the Scielo, Redalyc, Eric and Google Scholar platforms, 30 scientific articles were found that discuss the mass-energy relationship (E = mc²). Our analysis revealed that 70% of these articles present some conceptual error regarding the mass-energy relationship. These data are worrying, as they indicate that inappropriate concepts may be used in the teaching-learning processes of physics and that these journals, despite peer review processes, are validating incongruent results. Thus, we hope with this essay to make science educators, researchers, editors, reviewers, and students aware of the main misconceptions involving the mass-energy relationship.