Doubling the speed of an object has a significant effect on its kinetic energy. The relationship between speed and kinetic energy is directly proportional, meaning that as the speed of an object increases, its kinetic energy also increases.

Understanding Kinetic Energy:
Before discussing the effect of doubling the speed on kinetic energy, it is important to understand what kinetic energy is. Kinetic energy is the energy possessed by an object due to its motion. It is dependent on two factors: the mass of the object and its velocity (speed). The formula for calculating kinetic energy is:

Kinetic Energy = (1/2) * mass * velocity^2

Where:
- Kinetic Energy is measured in joules (J)
- Mass is measured in kilograms (kg)
- Velocity (speed) is measured in meters per second (m/s)

Effect of Doubling Speed:
When the speed of an object doubles, it means that the new speed is twice the original speed. Let's consider the initial speed as v and the final speed as 2v (twice the original speed).

Using the formula for kinetic energy, we can calculate the initial kinetic energy (KE1) and the final kinetic energy (KE2) as follows:

KE1 = (1/2) * mass * v^2
KE2 = (1/2) * mass * (2v)^2

Simplifying the equations:

KE1 = (1/2) * mass * v^2
KE2 = (1/2) * mass * 4v^2

We can see that the final kinetic energy (KE2) is four times the initial kinetic energy (KE1). In other words, doubling the speed of an object results in a four-fold increase in its kinetic energy.

Conclusion:
When the speed of an object doubles, its kinetic energy becomes four times greater than its initial kinetic energy. This is because kinetic energy is directly proportional to the square of the velocity. Thus, increasing the velocity by a factor of two results in an increase in kinetic energy by a factor of four.