This calculator is designed to determine the kinetic energy of a single, isolated particle. In physics, kinetic energy is the energy an object possesses due to its motion. For a lone particle, its motion can be described by its mass and velocity.
The Physics Behind the Calculation
The fundamental formula used to calculate kinetic energy (KE) is:
KE = 0.5 * m * v^2
Where:
KE is the kinetic energy, measured in Joules (J).
m is the mass of the particle, measured in kilograms (kg).
v is the velocity of the particle, measured in meters per second (m/s).
The calculator takes the input values for mass and velocity, squares the velocity, multiplies it by the mass, and then multiplies the result by 0.5 to yield the kinetic energy.
How to Use the Calculator
Mass of the Particle (kg): Enter the mass of the particle in kilograms. For subatomic particles, this is often a very small number, typically expressed in scientific notation (e.g., 1.672e-27 for a proton).
Velocity of the Particle (m/s): Enter the velocity of the particle in meters per second. For particles moving at relativistic speeds (close to the speed of light), entering the exact value is important for accurate classical kinetic energy calculation.
Calculate Energy: Click the "Calculate Energy" button.
The result will be displayed in Joules (J), which is the standard SI unit for energy.
Use Cases
This calculator is useful in various scenarios, including:
Estimating the energy of a single electron or proton in an accelerator.
Calculating the kinetic energy of dust particles in space.
Understanding the energy transfer in collisions at a microscopic level.
Educational purposes to demonstrate the principles of kinetic energy.
Note: This calculator uses the classical formula for kinetic energy (0.5 * m * v^2). For particles moving at speeds very close to the speed of light (relativistic speeds), a more complex relativistic kinetic energy formula would be required for greater accuracy.
function calculateEnergy() {
var massInput = document.getElementById("mass");
var velocityInput = document.getElementById("velocity");
var resultDisplay = document.getElementById("calculatedEnergy");
var mass = parseFloat(massInput.value);
var velocity = parseFloat(velocityInput.value);
if (isNaN(mass) || isNaN(velocity)) {
resultDisplay.textContent = "Invalid input. Please enter valid numbers.";
return;
}
if (mass < 0 || velocity < 0) {
resultDisplay.textContent = "Mass and velocity cannot be negative.";
return;
}
// Classical Kinetic Energy formula: KE = 0.5 * m * v^2
var kineticEnergy = 0.5 * mass * Math.pow(velocity, 2);
resultDisplay.textContent = kineticEnergy.toExponential(4); // Use exponential notation for clarity with large/small numbers
}