Which equation represents kinetic energy?

Kinetic energy is defined as the energy that an object possesses due to its motion. The formula for calculating kinetic energy is expressed as half of the mass of the object multiplied by the square of its velocity. This is mathematically represented as ( \frac{1}{2} mv^2 ).

In this equation, ( m ) stands for the mass of the object, and ( v ) represents its velocity. The factor of ( \frac{1}{2} ) accounts for the relationship between mass and velocity when deriving the kinetic energy formula from the work-energy principle, which states that work done on an object translates into a change in kinetic energy.

The other options provided represent different physical quantities: ( I/2 mv^2 ) may be a misrepresentation and does not correspond to standard kinetic energy formulation; ( mgh ) describes gravitational potential energy, where ( g ) is the acceleration due to gravity and ( h ) is the height; ( F=ma ) is Newton’s second law of motion, relating force, mass, and acceleration. All of these are relevant concepts in physics but do not define kinetic energy as accurately as the correct equation does.