Kinetic energy (E = ½ m v²)
AQA GCSE Physics calculation · part of the free Calculation Climb
The energy of a moving object: E = ½ m v². The trap is the square — square the speed first, then multiply.
How to do it — step by step
- Square the speed: v × v.
- E = ½ × mass × v².
Worked example
A 4 kg ball moving at 3 m/s.
E = ½ × 4 × 3² = ½ × 4 × 9 = 18 J
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