Thanks, I think this is starting to make sense. So when the car changes speed, it's applying work against the ground/earth and that's the frame of reference? I think that's what I was missing
If I'm understanding it right, this should not apply to a spacecraft right? I'm assuming it has some kind of rocket/thruster for it to change speed. In that case, the work is being done against the exhaust gasses exiting the nozzle? So it shouldn't matter at what speed the spacecraft is traveling since the thing it's doing work against (propellant) is always traveling at the same speed as the spacecraft?
ThrowawayHomesch OP t1_j5x79rh wrote
Reply to comment by Target880 in ELI5: Why is the kinetic energy of an object proportional to the square of the velocity? I've read many explanations online but I still don't get it. by ThrowawayHomesch
Thanks, I think this is starting to make sense. So when the car changes speed, it's applying work against the ground/earth and that's the frame of reference? I think that's what I was missing
If I'm understanding it right, this should not apply to a spacecraft right? I'm assuming it has some kind of rocket/thruster for it to change speed. In that case, the work is being done against the exhaust gasses exiting the nozzle? So it shouldn't matter at what speed the spacecraft is traveling since the thing it's doing work against (propellant) is always traveling at the same speed as the spacecraft?