What is the formula for kinetic energy?

The formula for kinetic energy is represented as KE = 1/2 mv². This equation illustrates that kinetic energy (KE) is directly proportional to the mass (m) of an object and the square of its velocity (v).

The factor of 1/2 in the equation comes from the derivation of kinetic energy from the work-energy principle. When an object is accelerated from rest, the work done on the object is equal to the change in its kinetic energy. This derivation shows that the energy imparted to the object as it accelerates involves not just its mass but also how fast it moves, which is quantified by the square of the velocity. Because velocity is squared, even small increases in speed lead to large increases in kinetic energy.

Understanding this formula is fundamental in physics as it helps explain how fast-moving objects can have significant amounts of energy based purely on their mass and speed, which is applicable in various scenarios such as vehicle motion, sports physics, and many engineering applications.