Here's a fact that should terrify every driver: if you double your speed, you don't just double your kinetic energy — you QUADRUPLE it! A car at 60 mph has FOUR TIMES the kinetic energy of the same car at 30 mph. In a crash, that energy has to go somewhere — into crumpling metal, shattering glass, and injuring people. Your brakes don't just have to work twice as hard at double speed; they have to work FOUR times as hard. This isn't opinion — it's physics. The v² in the kinetic energy equation is why speed limits exist and why speeding is the single biggest factor in road deaths.
Kinetic Energy Equation (ON FORMULA SHEET ✓)
Ek = ½mv²
Kinetic Energy (J) = ½ × mass (kg) × velocity² (m/s)²
This introduction covers Why Speeding Kills within Kinetic Energy for GCSE Physics. Revise Kinetic Energy in Energy for GCSE Physics with 15 exam-style questions and 30 flashcards. This topic appears regularly enough that it should still be part of a steady revision cycle. It is section 1 of 15 in this topic. Use this introduction to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Practice questions for Kinetic Energy
Which of the following objects has kinetic energy stored in its kinetic energy store?
A car travels at 20 m/s. The driver then doubles their speed to 40 m/s. Explain what happens to the kinetic energy of the car and by what factor it changes.
Quick recall flashcards
What is kinetic energy?
The energy stored in any object due to its motion. If it's moving, it has kinetic energy.
Kinetic energy equation?
Ek = ½mv² where m = mass (kg), v = velocity (m/s), Ek = kinetic energy (J)