What does kinetic energy depend on?

Kinetic energy is defined as the energy that an object possesses due to its motion. The formula for kinetic energy is given by ( KE = \frac{1}{2} mv^2 ), where ( m ) is the mass of the object and ( v ) is its velocity. This equation illustrates that kinetic energy not only depends on the mass of the object but also, fundamentally, on its velocity, which indicates it is in motion.

When an object is at rest, it has no kinetic energy because its velocity is zero. As the object's speed increases, its kinetic energy increases as well, showing a direct dependence on the object's motion. Hence, the primary aspect that kinetic energy depends on is indeed the motion of the object.

While mass does play a role in determining the amount of kinetic energy, it is the velocity—indicative of motion—that primarily dictates the kinetic energy value. The other options—temperature and position in a gravitational field—relate more to different forms of energy or physical states rather than directly impacting kinetic energy.