Kinetic Energy

Kinetic Energy

Kinetic energy is the energy an object possesses by virtue of its motion:

$KE = \frac{1}{2}mv^2$

Units: Joules ($\text{J} = \text{kg} \cdot \text{m}^2/\text{s}^2$).

Key Properties

• Always non-negative ($v^2$ is always $\geq 0$)
• Scales with mass linearly: doubling mass doubles KE
• Scales with velocity squared: doubling speed quadruples KE

Work-Energy Theorem

The net work done on an object equals its change in kinetic energy:

$W_{\text{net}} = \Delta KE = \frac{1}{2}mv_f^2 - \frac{1}{2}mv_i^2$

This connects forces (work) to motion (energy) without needing to track the path taken.

Examples

Your Task

Implement kineticEnergy(m, v) returning kinetic energy in Joules.