Why is the equation for Kinetic Energy 1/2mv^2 when the equation for Momentum is mv?
In: Physics
They are completely different measurements that describe different physical properties.
The momentum describes how much force wee need to apply and for how long we need to apply it in order to change the objects velocity a certain amount (F•t) . Just like forces, the momentum has a direction vector.
The kinetic energy describes how much work (energy) is needed to stop the object’s movement. The kinetic energy has no direction.
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