If a 1700kg car hits a stationary bus, which has more energy?

In this scenario, when considering which object has more energy at the moment before the collision, it is essential to focus on the concept of kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is defined by the equation:

[ KE = \frac{1}{2}mv^2 ]

where ( m ) represents mass and ( v ) represents velocity.

The car, being in motion, possesses kinetic energy based on both its mass and its speed. In contrast, the bus is stationary, which means its velocity is zero. Since the kinetic energy is directly proportional to the square of the velocity, if the velocity is zero (as is the case for the bus), the kinetic energy is also zero.

Therefore, the car, regardless of its specific speed, has kinetic energy due to its mass of 1700 kg and its velocity. This makes the kinetic energy of the car greater than that of the stationary bus, which has no kinetic energy. This leads to the conclusion that the car has more energy prior to the collision.