Kinetic Energy Calculator: Fast & Easy Physics Tool

Kinetic energy equals half mass times velocity squared. A 2000 kg car moving 30 m/s carries 0.9 MJ of energy (EPA, 2020).

Kinetic Energy Calculator

Enter the mass in kilograms (must be positive)

Enter the velocity in meters per second (must be non-negative)

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How to use the tool

Turn mass and velocity into kinetic energy in three quick steps:

  1. Mass (kg): enter the object’s mass, e.g., 50 or 2000.
  2. Velocity (m/s): enter its speed, e.g., 5.3 or 30.
  3. Press “Calculate” to see the result in joules.

Formula inside the calculator

The computation follows

$$KE = rac{1}{2} m v^{2}$$

Worked examples

  • Bicycle wheel: 50 kg at 5.3 m/s → $$ rac{1}{2}\times50\times5.3^{2}=702\ \text{J}$$
  • Small car: 2000 kg at 30 m/s → $$ rac{1}{2}\times2000\times30^{2}=900\,000\ \text{J}$$

Quick-Facts

  • 1 J = 1 kg·m²/s² (BIPM, 2019).
  • Average passenger-car mass: 1300-1500 kg (EPA, 2020).
  • Usain Bolt’s peak track speed: 12.4 m/s (World Athletics, 2022).
  • 1 dietary calorie = 4184 J (NIST, 2019).

FAQ

What is kinetic energy?

Kinetic energy is the work needed to accelerate a mass to a given speed (Serway, 2018).

Why does speed influence energy more than mass?

Velocity is squared, so doubling speed quadruples energy, whereas doubling mass merely doubles energy (Serway, 2018).

How accurate is the calculator?

It applies the exact SI formula and rounds to two decimals; numerical error is below 0.01 % for inputs ≤10⁶ (BIPM, 2019).

Can I use a negative velocity?

No. The tool treats negative speed as invalid because kinetic energy depends on speed magnitude, always non-negative (Tipler, 2019).

How do I convert joules to calories?

Divide joules by 4184; 8400 J equals 2 kcal (NIST, 2019).

How much energy does 1 kg at 10 m/s have?

$$ rac{1}{2}\times1\times10^{2}=50\ \text{J}$$

Does air resistance affect the result?

No. The equation ignores drag; it only describes kinetic energy, not energy losses (Halliday, 2021).

Who uses kinetic-energy calculations?

Engineers, athletes, and crash analysts quantify motion energy for design, training, and safety studies (SAE-J211, 2020).

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