Technology

Some forms of energy include nuclear energy, heat energy, chemical energy, and electromagnetic radiation. These energies can be of two main classifications, potential energy or kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is mostly associated with problems concerning the area of physics. The energy of motion is what is known as the kinetic energy of a certain object. It is an extra energy that one object has because of its motion. Kinetic energys given definition is the work needed in order to accelerate one body with a given mass from rest to its current velocity. An objects kinetic energy is totally relative or frame-dependent. It is closely associated with the concept of work, which is the dot product of force plus the displacement vector wherein force is applied.

An example of kinetic energy and how it is transformed from one form of energy to another can be seen in a car. The internal combustion of the engine of the car represents heat energy, and the consequent movement which is the motion of the car could represent mechanical energy. When fuel is fed through the intricate systems of a car that leads to internal combustion that moves the pistons of the engines and other systems function with it making up the mechanical energy. This will lead to movement to the car, making it accelerate. It should continue accelerating without any further work, as Newtons first law of motion, with the exception of overcoming the air resistance and friction. Heat inside the engine still exists as the process is still not totally efficient.

Continue on and another energy transformation happens. When on the top of the hill, the kinetic energy of the car is then transformed to gravitational potential energy that can be released going downhill without further work. Still, the car will not be able to regain its speed without stepping on the gas pedal because of friction and air resistance. Note that energy is not destroyed and only has been converted into another form of energy, in this case, friction. Another scenario of energy transformation is when the driver applies the brakes. From kinetic energy it is then dissipated into thermal energy as for the heat in the brakes of the car.

Being a function of velocity, the kinetic energy of an object is much based on the relationship between the object and the observers frame of reference, thus the kinetic energy of an object is not invariable. The kinetic energy of an object is depended to the frame of reference where it is measured.  In an isolated system, energy can neither enter nor leave and has a constant total energy as measured in any reference frame. Consequently, the chemical energy transformed to kinetic energy through a rocket engine will be distributed differently amid the rocket ship and its exhaust stream dependent on the reference frame of choice, known as the  HYPERLINK httpen.wikipedia.orgwikiOberth_effect o Oberth effect Oberth effect. However, the total energy of the system, including kinetic energy, fuel chemical energy, heat energy, shall be conserved apart from the choice of reference frame over time. Still, different observers moving with different reference frames will not come to an agreement on the measurement of this conserved energy.

Although the energy of those systems are dependent on the reference frame, the minimal total energy seen in any frame will be the resulting total energy seen by observers in the center of momentum frame. The resulting value of this invariant mass balances for the changing energy measured in different frames and will finally equalize all the results in all reference frames and observers.

Spacecrafts can be an example of how kinetic energy is seen. A spacecraft has chemical energy that it uses for its take off and then kinetic energy is gained in order for it to attain its orbital velocity. This kinetic energy that is obtained during the launch stays constant as the spacecraft orbits because no friction is present. In a game of pool or billiards, one can observe how kinetic energy is transferred from an object to another. When a player strikes a cue ball with a cue stick, kinetic energy is given to the ball by the player. Once the cue ball hits another balls, it will slow down radically since the kinetic energy will be transferred to the other ball making it accelerate. Such collision is known as elastic collisions wherein kinetic energy is maintained or preserved. Other kinds of energy such as sound, heat, etc, make kinetic energy disperse, and these are inelastic collision. Kinetic energy is also rotational as evident in flywheels being developed for storage of energy.

Several equations are used to calculate the kinetic energy, and although different, the results have only minute differences and are well within the accurate. The differences are usually from the velocity of the body or its size. Thus, it is accurate to use the Newtonian mechanics when the body is moving much smaller than the speed of light. But when the speed becomes close to the speed of light, significant differences can be seen in the results because of relativity. When the entity is in the sub-atomic level, the quantum mechanical equation will be most appropriate and accurate.

Newtonian or classical mechanics is still the most when it comes to kinetic energy. The equation Ekmv2 is used for the calculations of the kinetic energy of an object with a small mass or a non-rotating rigid body. Ek is the kinetic energy, m is the mass of the object, and v is the velocity of the object. The kinetic energy is measured by joules, the mass in kilograms, and the speed in meters per second. Several equations can be translated from the main equation.

Nature, the universe, and everything else run because of kinetic energy. The world we live in would be silent and motionless if kinetic energy doesnt exist. No sound waves would be carried and heard, and no objects or matter would move. A cold universe would exist since heat a form of kinetic energy would not be present as well. Kinetic energy is an important subject for understanding. Physical quantities such as kinetic energy can be used for safety and breakthrough technologies in the world.