Kinetic Energy

Kinetic energy is the energy an object possesses due to it's motion. A vehicle in motion has more kinetic energy than one at rest. Every time you want to stop your car you must overcome the kinetic energy your vehicle has built up.

Unlike momentum, when you double a vehicles speed the kinetic energy quadruples. If you double it's weight it doubles the kinetic energy (like the momentum equation). See the formula below:

Kinetic Energy = 1/2*Mass*Velocity Squared = (1/2)mv^2

Don't worry about remembering this formula. Just remember that due to Kinetic Energy your braking distance is four times as great if you double your speed .