When the speed of your car is doubled, by what factor does its kinetic energy increase?

(a) \(\sqrt 2 \). (b) 2. (c) 4. (d) 8.

Short Answer

Expert verified

The correct answer is option (C).

When the speed of the car is doubled, the kinetic energy increases by a factor of 4.

Step by step solution

01

Characteristics of kinetic energy

The kinetic energy of a particle relies on the mass as well as the speed of the particle. It is directly proportional to the square of the speed. In the standard international system, kinetic energy is measured in terms of Joule (J).

The formula for the kinetic energy of the car is given by:

\(\begin{aligned}KE = \frac{1}{2}m{v^2}\\KE \propto {v^2}\end{aligned}\)

Here, m is the mass of the car, and v is the speed of the car.

02

Increase in kinetic energy of the car

From the formula of kinetic energy, it is evident that the kinetic energy is affected by the car's speed, which means that it increases with an increase in kinetic energy. When the speed of the car is doubled, the kinetic energy will get quadrupled as it varies with the second power of speed.

Thus, option (c) is the correct answer.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free