When a vehicle's speed doubles, what does the vehicle energy do?

When a vehicle's speed doubles, the kinetic energy of the vehicle quadruples. This is based on the formula for kinetic energy, which is given by the equation KE = 1/2 mv², where "m" is the mass of the vehicle and "v" is its velocity.

When the velocity "v" is doubled, the equation becomes KE = 1/2 m(2v)². This simplifies to KE = 1/2 m(4v²), which shows that when speed doubles, the kinetic energy is now four times what it was at the original speed.

This principle has significant implications in accident reconstruction, vehicle safety design, and understanding the dynamics of crashes, as an increase in kinetic energy means a greater impact force during a collision. This concept is vital for law enforcement officers to comprehend, especially in relation to traffic accidents and investigations.