The kinetic energy of an object always changes when which factor changes?$K=\frac{1}{2}m{v}^2$

• A. The object's shape
• B. The object's mass $m$
• C. The object's color
• D. The object's velocity $v$

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall the formula for kinetic energy: \(K = \frac{1}{2} m v^{2}\), where \(m\) is the mass of the object and \(v\) is its velocity.
2. Understand that kinetic energy depends directly on both the mass and the square of the velocity of the object.
3. Consider what happens if the object's shape or color changes: these factors do not appear in the kinetic energy formula, so they do not affect kinetic energy.
4. If the object's mass \(m\) changes, kinetic energy will change proportionally, since \(K\) is directly proportional to \(m\).
5. If the object's velocity \(v\) changes, kinetic energy changes with the square of the velocity, meaning even small changes in velocity cause significant changes in kinetic energy.