Wednesday, 17 December 2014

newtonian mechanics - Why is kinetic energy calculated using speed?


Why is kinetic energy calculated using speed? Since speed is distanced covered, and if a car moves 100 meters around a circular track -- stoping after moving half of the distance of the track -- the car wouldn't have as much kinetic energy because it doesn't displace as much as it covers. But surely the car has kinetic energy as it moves, right? It covers more distance than it changes position. So shouldn't it have more kinetic energy because it moves more than it changes position? Is there a reason kinetic energy is calculated using speed?


Please don't use any math beyond 8th grade; I haven't learned past it yet.




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