Energy

Kinetic Energy

Definition: Kinetic Energy

The kinetic energy of a point mass $m$ is defined as one-half of the product of $m$ and its speed squared:

$$\frac{1}{2}m{v}^2$$

The (total) kinetic energy of a continuous mass distribution $\rho$ with volume $V$ is the integral

$${\int }_V\rho (\mathbf{r})v(\mathbf{r}{)}^2\mathrm{dV},$$

where $v(\mathbf{r})$ is the velocity of the infinitesimally small point mass located at $\mathbf{r}$.

The (total) kinetic energy of a physical system is the sum of the kinetic energies of its components.

NOTATION

$$K{E}_{\text{k}}{E}_{\text{kin}}$$