Question

A car with a mass of 1,008 kg travels down a road at 59 m/s. What is the kinetic energy of the car in Joules?

Answer 1

Givens.

• Mass = 1,008 kg.

,

• Speed = 59 m/s.

The kinetic energy of the car depends directly on its mass and its squared speed.

$K=\frac{1}{2}\cdot m\cdot v^2$

Where m = 1,008 kg and v = 59 m/s.

$\begin{gathered} K=\frac{1}{2}\cdot1,008\operatorname{kg}\cdot(59\cdot\frac{m}{s})^2 \\ K=504\operatorname{kg}\cdot3,481\cdot\frac{m^2}{s^2} \\ K=1,754,424J \end{gathered}$

Therefore, the kinetic energy of the car is 1,754,424 Joules.