Kinetic Energy Calculator

Use our kinetic energy calculator to find the kinetic energy, velocity, or mass.

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Results: Kinetic Energy

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Kinetic Energy Formula:

KE= \frac{1}{2}mv^{2}
Learn how we calculate this below

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What Is Kinetic Energy?

Kinetic energy is the energy an object has because it is moving. If something is in motion, it has kinetic energy.

The amount of kinetic energy depends on how heavy the object is and how fast it’s moving. For instance, a speeding car has more kinetic energy than a rolling soccer ball because it’s much heavier and moving faster.

Kinetic energy is different from potential energy since it’s the energy of an object in motion. Potential energy, on the other hand, is the stored energy of an object based on its position.[1]

Note that objects that are not in motion have no kinetic energy. So, a parked car has no kinetic energy at all.

How to Calculate Kinetic Energy

Since the amount of kinetic energy an object has depends on its mass and velocity, you need to calculate those things first. You can use our mass calculator and our velocity calculator to find those properties.

Once you have the mass and velocity, you can use a simple formula to calculate kinetic energy.

Kinetic Energy Formula

The formula to calculate the kinetic energy of an object, body, or particle is:

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

Thus, the kinetic energy KE in Joules is equal to 1/2 times the object’s mass m in kilograms times its velocity v in meters per second squared.[2]

Graphic showing the kinetic energy formula, where the kinetic energy is equal to 1/2 times the object's mass times the object's velocity squared.

For example, we can use the formula above to calculate the kinetic energy of an object with a mass of 12 kilograms that is moving at a velocity of 7 meters per second.

KE= \frac{1}{2} \times 12 \times 7^{2}
KE= \frac{1}{2} \times 12 \times 49
KE= 294 J

So, using the formula, we can calculate that this object has the kinetic energy of 294 Joules. You can use our energy converter in other units, such as watt-hours.

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References

  1. NASA, Energy Activity, https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/BGA/Mike/energy_act.htm
  2. LibreTexts, University Physics I - Mechanics, Sound, Oscillations, and Waves, https://phys.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/University_Physics/University_Physics_(OpenStax)/Book%3A_University_Physics_I_-_Mechanics_Sound_Oscillations_and_Waves_(OpenStax)/07%3A_Work_and_Kinetic_Energy/7.03%3A_Kinetic_Energy