Ballistic Energy From Mass Calculator
Nonrelativistic kinetic energy of an observed volcanic projectile, not ejection probability or impact safety.
Description
Ballistic Energy From Mass Calculator: return kinetic joules.
Translational kinetic energy depends on mass and the square of speed. It is one component of a projectile's physical behavior.
This tool returns kinetic joules. Use the stated units and model convention when interpreting these fields.
When to use this tool
Use this tool when the supplied inputs match the specific operation described above and you need a repeatable result under its stated convention.
- Check the supported input and output contract against an existing calculation or observation.
- Use the complete example to confirm units, selector spelling and result interpretation.
How to use the tool and how it works
- Enter every field in the input table using the stated units and the exact supported selector spelling where applicable.
- Run the tool. Correct input errors before interpreting an output.
- Read the result fields below; use accompanying flags and the stated sign, boundary or model convention when interpreting a number.
Return one half times nonnegative massKg times speedMPerS squared.1
| Input field | Meaning and units | Accepted input |
|---|---|---|
| massKg | Mass kg. Kilograms. | Finite number; zero or greater |
| speedMPerS | Speed m per s. Meters per second. | Finite number; zero or greater |
| Output field | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| result | Object containing the following named result fields. |
| result.kineticJoules | Kinetic joules; use the stated units and sign convention. |
{
"input": {
"massKg": 2,
"speedMPerS": 10
},
"output": {
"result": {
"kineticJoules": 100
}
}
}Limitations and assumptions
- The result does not calculate range, impact effects, breakup or an exclusion distance.
- Every declared field is required and unexpected fields are rejected. Numeric inputs must be finite; input errors are distinct from a valid false result or an explicitly qualified output.
- Extremely large inputs and nonfinite or excessively large outputs are rejected. List positions reported by the tool use zero-based indices unless stated otherwise.
Alternative or Complementary methods
Check the underlying observations, units and conventions independently before using the result in a larger workflow. The tools listed below address nearby tasks; compare their inputs and scope before substituting one for this operation.
References
Similar or alternative tools
- ballistic ejection max range
Vacuum projectile range depends on launch speed and the impact-plane height.
- mass eruption rate from column height
Eruption-column height can be related empirically to mass eruption rate.