Kinetic Energy
Kinetic energy is the energy that an
object has by virtue of its motion. It is given by the formula:
kinetic energy = ½ m v2
where
m is the mass of the object and
v is its velocity.
In the SI (metric) system of units:
- m is expressed in kg (kilograms),
- v is expressed in m/s (meters per second),
- the energy is expressed in J (joules).
Note that if the velocity of an object is doubled, its kinetic
energy is quadrupled.
Kinetic energy (in fact any type of energy) can be converted into
other forms of energy. For example on mountain roads runaway
lanes are often provided for trucks that lose their brakes while
going down long hills. The runaway lane takes the truck back
uphill and allows the truck to coast to a stop as its kinetic
energy is converted to potential energy.
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Written by Eric Hiob, Sunday, December 22, 1996 - 4:55:03
PM