Science Assessment ~ Topics ~ Energy: Forms, Transformation, Transfer, and Conservation ~ Misconception EGM067

The amount of kinetic energy an object has is directly proportional to its speed (AAAS Project 2061, n.d.). Doubling the speed of an object doubles its kinetic energy (Hapkiewicz, 1992). For example students says, "...kinetic energy an object has is proportional to the speed of the moving object.."(zzzzfh/235/17) or "K=1/2mv if the speed of the ball is half of what it initially was the kinetic energy would be half go what it was as well"(zzzzfh/15).

Items that test for misconception EGM067 in this project (ASPECt) and key idea ()
Item ID Number	Item Description	How Often the Misconception was Chosen
RG003003	Kinetic energy is proportional to the speed squared, so when a moving object has its speed increased by two the kinetic energy of that object increases by four.	61%
RG082002	Kinetic energy is proportional to the speed squared, so when a moving object has its speed decreased by half the kinetic energy of that object decreased by one fourth.	46%
RG175001	Kinetic energy is proportional to the speed squared. (Item uses line graphs.)	35%
RG001004	Doubling the speed would have the bigger impact on increasing the kinetic energy (motion energy) of a moving object because kinetic energy increases with the square of the speed	24%