since velocity is always based on a frame of reference, can I just change my frame of reference to have different amounts of kinetic energy? Where does that energy come from?
In: Physics
It comes from nowhere, that number for kinetic energy is misleading.
The only way you can extract energy from kinetic energy is by using two different objects moving at different speeds. The amount of energy extracted is a function of a few things, including the difference in velocities between those two objects.
Difference in velocities doesn’t change as your frame of reference changes. Two cars colliding at 10 m/s still collide at 10 m/s if you are watching the collision from nearby or an airplane. So the amount of energy that exists in practice stays constant.
Latest Answers