What is the formula for calculating kinetic energy?

The formula for calculating kinetic energy is KE = ½mv², where m is mass and v is velocity.

Kinetic energy is a form of energy that an object or a particle has due to its motion. If work, which transfers energy, is done on an object by applying a net force, the object speeds up and thus gains kinetic energy. The formula for calculating kinetic energy (KE) is KE = ½mv². In this formula, 'm' represents the mass of the object, and 'v' is its velocity.

The kinetic energy of an object is directly proportional to the square of its speed. That's what the v² term means. If the speed of an object is doubled, its kinetic energy increases by a factor of four. If the speed is tripled, the kinetic energy increases by a factor of nine. This is because the 'v' in the formula is squared.

The mass of the object also plays a significant role in the amount of kinetic energy an object has. The more mass an object has, the more kinetic energy it can store. This is why a lorry, for example, travelling at a low speed can still have a large amount of kinetic energy due to its large mass.

It's important to remember that kinetic energy is a scalar quantity, meaning it does not have a direction. It is always a positive value. When calculating kinetic energy, make sure your units are consistent. Mass should be in kilograms (kg) and velocity should be in metres per second (m/s). The resulting kinetic energy will be in joules (J), the standard unit of energy in the International System of Units (SI).