How do you calculate the change in kinetic energy?

The change in kinetic energy of an object is calculated by finding the difference between the final kinetic energy and the initial kinetic energy. This is based on the principle that kinetic energy is a measure of the energy that an object possesses due to its motion, which can change as the object's speed changes or as it interacts with other forces.

To express this mathematically, the formula for change in kinetic energy can be written as:

Change in kinetic energy = Ek(final) - Ek(initial)

This formulation shows that you subtract the initial kinetic energy from the final kinetic energy to determine how much the kinetic energy has increased or decreased. If the final kinetic energy is greater, it indicates an increase in motion energy, while a lower final value signifies a decrease.

In this context, determining change in kinetic energy is crucial for understanding concepts like work done on an object and energy conservation in mechanical systems.