What is the relationship between energy and mass in ballistic terms?

The relationship between energy and mass in ballistic terms is fundamentally described by the kinetic energy formula: KE = 1/2 mv², where KE stands for kinetic energy, m is the mass of the projectile, and v is its velocity. This formula illustrates that kinetic energy is directly proportional to the mass of the projectile, meaning that as the mass increases, the kinetic energy increases as well. Additionally, since kinetic energy is proportional to the square of the velocity, it shows that if the velocity of the projectile increases, the kinetic energy increases exponentially.

This understanding is crucial in ballistic calculations as it highlights the influential role of both mass and velocity in determining the energy of a moving projectile. The options that focus on factors like altitude, travel distance, or air density do not accurately reflect the direct relationship between mass and kinetic energy as specified in the kinetic energy formula, thereby making them irrelevant to the core concept being assessed.