Enter the mass and velocity into the joule calculator. The calculator will display the total kinetic energy of that object in Joules. You can further convert this to another unit of measure. This calculator will also determine mass or velocity given the joules and the value of the other variable.

Joule Formula

The following formula is used to calculate the total energy in Joules a moving object has. 

(K) = 1/2 *(m)*(v)^2
  • Where K is kinetic energy in Joules (J)
  • m is mass (kg)
  • and v is the velocity (m/s)

To calculate Joules, multiply the mass by the velocity square, then divide the result by 2. This result is also known as energy, and more specifically, kinetic energy.

Joule Definition

A joule is defined as the standard SI unit for energy. The most common uses of the unit joules are kinetic and potential energy as well as thermal energy.

How to calculate joules?

How to calculate a joule

  1. First, measure the mass of the object

    Using a scale or formula, determine the mass of the object.

  2. Next, measure the velocity

    Measure or determine the velocity of that same object.

  3. Calculate

    Calculate the total number of joules of kinetic energy the object has using the information above.

Example Problem #1:

First, determine the mass of the object that is in motion.

In this example, the mass is found to be 50 kg using an accurate scale.

Next, determine the velocity of the 50kg object.

For this problem, the velocity is measured to be 10 m/s.

Finally, calculate the number of joules of energy using the formula above:

(K) = 1/2 *(m)*(v)^2

(K) = 1/2 *(50)*(10)^2

(K) = 25,000 Joules

FAQ

What is a joule?

A joule is the SI unit for energy. Energy is a measure of the activity of a substance.

What is kinetic energy?

Kinetic energy is a type of energy that comes from the movement of objects.