However, if we work out the value in joules, then the outcome is in the order of 1 μJ. It's impressive when you realize what an enormous number of molecules is there in one insect. It is said to be comparable with the kinetic energy of a mosquito. Some of the highest energy particles produced by physicists (e.g., protons in Large Hadron Collider, LHC) reach the kinetic energy of few TeV. Let's take a look at some computational kinetic energy examples to get to grips with the various orders of magnitude: What do you think - is that a lot, or not really? The key information is what kind of object we are talking about. You're sitting in class and your teacher tells you that the kinetic energy of an object equals 1 J. Depending on the structure it can be shown as stretching, twisting, or bending.Īt the microscopic scale, all of these kinetic energy examples are manifestations of thermal energy, which increases as the temperature rises. Vibrational kinetic energy - can be visualized as when a particle moves back and forth around some equilibrium point, approximated by harmonic motion. Rotational kinetic energy - as the name suggests, it takes into account the motion of a body around an axis. This is the kind of energy which you can estimate with this kinetic energy calculator. It's related to the motion of an object traveling in a particular direction and the distance it covers in a given time. Translational kinetic energy - the most well-known type.
It states that the work done by all external forces is converted into a change of kinetic energy:Īctually, there are several types of kinetic energies. It turns out that kinetic energy and the amount of work done in the system are strictly correlated, and their relation can be described by the work-energy theorem. If an object is moving faster than 1% of the speed of light (approximately 3,000 km/s, or 3,000,000 m/s), you should use our relativistic kinetic energy calculator. You should be aware, however, that this formula doesn't take into account relativistic effects, which become noticeable at higher speeds. It even works in reverse, just input any two known variables and you will receive the third! If you don't know the speed of the object, you can easily calculate it with our velocity calculator. How about you give our kinetic energy calculator a try? This tool do any and every calculation for you after typing the mass and velocity of an object.
This means that even a small increase in speed changes the kinetic energy by a relatively high amount. The same energy could be used to decelerate the object, but keep in mind that velocity is squared. With the kinetic energy formula, you can estimate how much energy is needed to move an object. The kinetic energy equation is as follows: The kinetic energy formula defines the relationship between the mass of an object and its velocity.