Solve for any variable using KE = ½mv². Select what you want to find, then enter the other two values.
Kinetic energy is the energy an object has due to its motion. Any moving object - a car, a baseball, a molecule - has kinetic energy proportional to its mass and the square of its speed.
KE scales with v² because kinetic energy is derived from the work-energy theorem: W = F × d. Substituting Newton's second law and kinematics equations yields the ½mv² result.
This calculator uses SI units: mass in kilograms (kg), velocity in meters per second (m/s), and energy in Joules (J). Convert inputs to SI before using if needed.
Kinetic energy (KE) comes from motion. Potential energy (PE) comes from position in a force field, such as gravitational potential energy (mgh). Together they make up mechanical energy.