Kinetic energy calculator
Kinetic energy goes as the square of speed, which is why doubling your speed quadruples the crash energy.
Kinetic energy
675 000J
- Momentum
- 45 000 kg m/s
- Equivalent free-fall height
- 45.887 23
- Energy at twice the speed
- 2 700 000
Show the working
- Mass = 1500
- Speed = 30
- Kinetic energy = 1500 * 30^2 / 2 = 675 000
- Momentum = 1500 * 30 = 45 000
- Equivalent free-fall height = 30^2 / (2 * g0) = 45.8872
- Energy at twice the speed = 1500 * (2*30)^2 / 2 = 2 700 000
Values are shown to six significant figures here; the arithmetic itself runs on exact fractions and is only rounded where a number is printed.
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The formula
- KE = (1/2) m v^2
- p = m v
- equivalent drop height = v^2 / 2g
A car at 30 m/s carries the same energy as the same car dropped from 46 metres.