Q.A mass of 5 kg is moving along a circular path of radius 1 m. If the mass moves with 300 revolutions per minute, its kinetic energy would be
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Kinetic Energy and Speed: The Intuition
Imagine pushing a heavy box across the floor. The harder you push, the faster it moves. But here's the surprising part: doubling the speed does not require double the work — it requires four times the work. That's the core of the kinetic energy–speed relation.
Why? Because kinetic energy isn't about how fast you're moving — it's about how much effort it took to get you moving that fast. And effort (work) depends on both force and distance. When you push something to a higher speed, you have to apply force over a longer distance, and that extra distance multiplies the work required.
Kinetic energy is the energy an object possesses because of its motion. A stationary object has zero kinetic energy.
The Precise Statement
The kinetic energy K of an object of mass m moving with speed v is:
K=21mv2
This is the kinetic energy–speed relation. The key point: kinetic energy is proportional to the square of the speed, not the speed itself.
K=21mv2
Why the Square? A Simple Derivation
Start from Newton's second law: F=ma. If a constant force F acts on an object initially at rest over a displacement s, the work done is W=Fs.
From kinematics, for constant acceleration starting from rest: v2=2as. So s=2av2.
Substitute into work:
W=Fs=(ma)(2av2)=21mv2
That work becomes the object's kinetic energy. The square comes from the kinematic relation v2=2as — a direct consequence of how distance and speed are linked under constant acceleration.
A common mistake: thinking kinetic energy is 21mv or mv2. The factor 21 is essential — it comes from the integration of force over distance.
What This Means in Practice
| Speed change | Kinetic energy change |
|---|---|
| Double speed (2v) | K becomes 4× original |
| Triple speed (3v) | K becomes 9× original |
| Halve speed (v/2) | K becomes 1/4 of original |
This explains why:
- A car crash at 100 km/h is four times as destructive as one at 50 km/h (four times the energy to dissipate).
- Braking distance quadruples when speed doubles (because brakes must do four times the work).
- A bullet at twice the speed penetrates much deeper than twice as far.
Kinetic energy depends only on mass and speed — not on direction. Two objects with the same mass and speed have the same kinetic energy, even if moving in opposite directions.
Units
In SI units:
- Mass m in kilograms (kg) …
Concept: Rotational Kinetic Energy
A mass moving in a circular path possesses kinetic energy due to its tangential speed. We relate the angular frequency to linear speed, then compute the energy.
Step 1: Convert angular speed to rad/s.
ω=300 rev/min=300×602π=10π rad/s
Step 2: Find the tangential speed.
v=rω=1×10π=10π m/s …
A body in circular motion has kinetic energy 21mv2 where v=rω. Converting 300 rpm to angular velocity and using r=1m, the kinetic energy is 250π2J.
Why circular motion still means kinetic energy
When a mass moves in a circle, it is constantly changing direction but its speed remains constant. Kinetic energy depends only on the magnitude of velocity, not its direction. So even though the velocity vector is always turning, the kinetic energy 21mv2 stays fixed throughout the motion.
The key is to connect the rotational description (revolutions per minute) to the linear speed v that appears in the kinetic energy formula. That connection is v=rω, where ω is the angular velocity in radians per second.
Step-by-step calculation
-
Convert revolutions per minute to radians per second.
The mass completes 300 revolutions every minute. Each revolution sweeps out 2π radians, so
ω=300×2πrad/min=600πrad/min.
Converting to seconds (divide by 60):
ω=60600π=10πrad/s.
-
Find the linear speed.
The relationship between linear speed and angular velocity for circular motion is
v=rω.
With r=1m and ω=10πrad/s: …
Concept: Kinetic Energy in Circular Motion
A body moving in a circle at constant angular speed has a constant linear
(tangential) speed v=rω, so its kinetic energy is just 21mv2
evaluated with that speed.
Step 1: Convert the angular speed to rad/s
ω=300 rev/min×1 rev2π rad×60 s1 min=10π rad/s
Step 2: Find the linear (tangential) speed …
- KCET 2026Set C21 markMCQQ.Two bodies with kinetic energies in the ratio of 3:1 are moving with equal linear momentum. The ratio of their masses is (A) 1:4 (B) 1:3 (C) 1:2 (D) 1:1
›Reveal solutionSolution
For a given (fixed) linear momentum, kinetic energy KE=p2/2m is inversely proportional to mass — this lets a kinetic-energy ratio be converted directly into a mass ratio.
Step 1 — Express KE in terms of momentum and mass
KE=2mp2⟹m=2KEp2
Since both bodies have the same momentum p, m∝KE1.
Step 2 — Apply the given kinetic-energy ratio
Given KE1:KE2=3:1: …
- COMEDK 2025Set 2025-E1 markMCQQ.Momentum of a body is increased to three times its original value. By what percentage will its kinetic energy change? (A) 300% (B) 900% (C) 200% (D) 800%
›Reveal solutionSolution
Kinetic energy is proportional to the square of momentum, so tripling momentum multiplies kinetic energy by 9, an increase of 800%.
Concept & Intuition
The relationship between kinetic energy K and momentum p is direct and quadratic:
K=2mp2
Since mass m is constant, any change in momentum causes the kinetic energy to change by the square of the momentum multiplier. If momentum triples, kinetic energy becomes 32=9 times larger. The percentage change is then (9−1)×100%=800%. The trap is to think the percentage increase is 300% (just the momentum increase) or 900% (confusing the factor with the percentage).
Step-by-step reasoning
- Write the original kinetic energy Let the original momentum be p. Then the original kinetic energy is
K1=2mp2
- Write the new kinetic energy after tripling momentum New momentum p′=3p. So
K2=2m(3p)2=2m9p2
- Find the ratio of new to original kinetic energy
K1K2=2mp22m9p2=9
So K2=9K1.
- Calculate the percentage change …
- KCET 2024Set D-21 markMCQQ.Consider the nuclear fission reaction 01n+92235U→56144Ba+3689Kr+301n Assuming all the kinetic energy is carried away by the fast neutrons only and total binding energies of 92235U, 56144Ba and 3689Kr to be 1800 MeV, 1200 MeV and 780 MeV respectively, the average kinetic energy carried by each fast neutron is (in MeV) (A) 200 (B) 180 (C) 67 (D) 60
›Reveal solutionSolution
Q = (total BE of products) − (total BE of reactants); divide the 180 MeV released among the 3 neutrons.
Step 1 — The concept: energy released = gain in binding energy
Binding energy is the energy that would be needed to pull a nucleus apart into free nucleons. A nucleus with a larger binding energy is more tightly bound, i.e. lower in energy. So when nucleons rearrange into more tightly-bound products, the surplus binding energy is released:
Q=∑BE(products)−∑BE(reactants)
Step 2 — Tally the binding energies
The reaction is
01n+92235U⟶56144Ba+3689Kr+301n
A free neutron is a single nucleon, so it has zero binding energy — neither the incident neutron nor the three emitted neutrons contribute to either side of the tally. (Check the bookkeeping first: nucleons 1+235=236 and 144+89+3=236 ✓; charge 92=56+36 ✓.)
- Reactants: BE(235U)=1800 MeV (the incident neutron adds 0).
- Products: BE(144Ba)+BE(89Kr)=1200+780=1980 MeV (the 3 neutrons add 0).
Step 3 — Compute Q
Q=1980−1800=180 MeV
This is the total energy released by the fission — comfortably in line with the real figure of ∼200 MeV per 235U fission.
Step 4 — Share it among the neutrons …
- KCET 2023Set A-31 markMCQQ.A nucleus with mass number 220 initially at rest emits an alpha particle. If the Q value of reaction is 5.5 MeV, calculate the value of kinetic energy of alpha particle. (A) 5.4 MeV (B) 7.4 MeV (C) 4.5 MeV (D) 6.5 MeV
›Reveal solutionSolution
Conserve momentum and energy: the alpha carries the fraction (A−4)/A of the Q value.
Step 1 — Set up conservation laws.
The parent nucleus (A=220) is at rest, so total initial momentum is zero. After the decay we have an alpha particle (mass number 4) and a daughter nucleus (mass number A−4=216). Momentum conservation requires them to fly apart with equal and opposite momenta:
pα=pd=p.
The Q value is shared as kinetic energy:
Q=Kα+Kd=5.5 MeV.
Step 2 — Relate the kinetic energies.
Using K=2mp2 with the same p for both fragments,
KdKα=mαmd=4216. …
- COMEDK 2022Set 20221 markMCQQ.If kinetic energy of a body is increased by 300%, then percentage change in momentum will be (A) 100% (B) 150% (C) 265% (D) 73.2%
›Reveal solutionSolution
So momentum doubles: percentage change = (2p − p)/p × 100 = 100%.
Concept: KE = p²/2m → p ∝ √(KE) at fixed mass.
KE increased by 300% → KE_final = KE + 3KE = 4 KE.
p_final/p_initial = √(KE_final/KE_initial) = √4 = 2. …
- COMEDK 2021Set 20211 markMCQQ.Two masses of 1g and 9g are moving with equal kinetic energy. The ratio of magnitude of their momentum is (A) 3 : 1 (B) 1 : 3 (C) 1 : 2 (D) 2 : 1
›Reveal solutionSolution
With equal kinetic energies K: p1/p2 = sqrt(m1/m2) = sqrt(1 g / 9 g) = sqrt(1/9) = 1/3.
Concept: relation between momentum and kinetic energy, K = p^2/(2m) => p = sqrt(2 m K).
With equal kinetic energies K: …
- COMEDK 2021Set 2021-B1 markMCQQ.If momentum is increased by 10% then the increase in the K.E. of the body is (A) 40% (B) 100% (C) 21% (D) 20%
›Reveal solutionSolution
Since KE=p2/2m, kinetic energy scales as the square of momentum. Raising p by 10% multiplies KE by 1.12=1.21, i.e. a 21% increase.
For a body of mass m, kinetic energy in terms of momentum is
KE=2mp2.
If momentum increases by 10%, then p′=1.10p, so …
- KCET 2020Set A-11 markMCQQ.Two protons are kept at a separation of 10 nm. Let Fn and Fe be the nuclear force and the electromagnetic force between them (A) Fe=Fn (B) Fe>>Fn (C) Fe<<Fn (D) Fe and Fn differ only slightly
›Reveal solutionSolution
At a separation of 10 nm, the electromagnetic force between two protons dominates overwhelmingly because the nuclear force is a short-range force that essentially vanishes beyond about 1–2 fm (femtometres). The correct option is (B).
The key to this question is understanding the range of the two fundamental forces involved. The electromagnetic force between two charged particles follows an inverse-square law and has infinite range — it falls off as 1/r2, but never truly disappears. The nuclear force (the strong nuclear force), on the other hand, is a short-range force. It binds protons and neutrons together inside the nucleus, but its influence drops to essentially zero once the separation exceeds a few femtometres (1 fm=10−15 m).
Here, the separation given is 10 nm = 10×10−9 m=10−8 m. Compare that to the typical range of the nuclear force, which is about 1–2 fm=10−15 m. The separation is ten million times larger than the range of the nuclear force. At such a distance, the nuclear force between the two protons is effectively zero.
Let’s work through the numbers to see just how huge the difference is.
- Calculate the electromagnetic force Fe. Both protons have charge e=1.6×10−19 C. The separation is r=10 nm=10−8 m. Coulomb’s law gives:
Fe=4πε01r2e2
Using 4πε01=9×109 N m2/C2:
Fe=9×109×(10−8)2(1.6×10−19)2
=9×109×10−162.56×10−38
=9×109×2.56×10−22
=2.304×10−12 N
- Estimate the nuclear force Fn at this separation. …
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