What does kinetic energy depend on?

Kinetic energy is a measure of the energy an object possesses due to its motion, and it is calculated using the formula:

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

where ( KE ) represents kinetic energy, ( m ) represents the mass of the object, and ( v ) represents its velocity. This formula clearly shows that kinetic energy depends on both the mass of the object and the square of its velocity.

The mass directly influences how much kinetic energy an object has; a more massive object will have more kinetic energy at the same velocity compared to a less massive object. Similarly, the velocity has a significant impact because kinetic energy increases with the square of the velocity. This means that even a small increase in velocity can lead to a large increase in kinetic energy.

Therefore, the correct answer highlights the fact that both the mass and velocity of an object are essential factors in determining its kinetic energy.