Kinetic energy
From Combat Robot
The kinetic energy of an object is the energy which it possesses due to its motion. It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its current velocity. Having gained this energy during its acceleration, the body maintains this kinetic energy unless its speed changes. Negative work of the same magnitude would be required to return the body to a state of rest from that velocity.
The formula for calculating kinetic energy for a rigid non-rotating body is:
- Energy = 1/2 * Mass * Velocity2
For example - the kinetic energy of an 80 kg mass traveling at 18 meters per second (40 mph) is:
- 1/2 * 80 * 182 = 12,960 joules
Kinetic energy can be passed from one object to another. In the game of billiards, the player gives kinetic energy to the cue ball by striking it with the cue stick. If the cue ball collides with another ball, it will slow down dramatically and the ball it collided with will accelerate to a speed as the kinetic energy is passed on to it. Collisions in billiards are effectively elastic collisions, where kinetic energy is preserved.
Flywheels are a method of kinetic energy storage employed by spinning weapon robots. This illustrates that kinetic energy can also be rotational.
