Automotive & Engines

Basic

Kinetic Energy of Vehicle

Energy that brakes must dissipate to stop a moving car.

Formula

KE = \tfrac{1}{2} m v^2

Variables

KEKinetic energy (J)

mMass (kg)

vSpeed (m/s)

Example

1500 kg at 30 m/s: KE = 675 kJ

Did You Know?

That 675 kJ becomes heat in the brake discs — enough to boil two litres of water in one hard stop.

automotive energy braking

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