Kinetic energy is given by the formula:
\[ KE = \frac{1}{2}mv^2 \]
where \( KE \) is the kinetic energy, \( m \) is the mass of the object, and \( v \) is its velocity.
If two cars have equal mass but are moving at different speeds, the car with the higher speed will have more kinetic energy. This is because kinetic energy is directly proportional to the square of the velocity.
For example, if Car A has a speed of 10 m/s and Car B has a speed of 20 m/s, even though they have the same mass, Car B will have:
- \( KE_A = \frac{1}{2}m(10^2) = 50m \)
- \( KE_B = \frac{1}{2}m(20^2) = 200m \)
Thus, Car B has more kinetic energy because its velocity is greater. If the velocities are the same, then both cars will have the same kinetic energy.
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