According to Einstein's famous equation, E = mc², the energy of an object is equal to its mass multiplied by the square of the speed of light. However, as an object approaches the speed of light, its relativistic mass increases, meaning the mass of the object is not constant but rather depends on its velocity.
As the velocity of an object increases, its kinetic energy also increases according to the relativistic equation:
E = (γ - 1)mc²
where E is the kinetic energy, γ is the Lorentz factor (γ = 1 / sqrt(1 - v²/c²)), m is the rest mass of the object, and c is the speed of light.
The equation shows that as the velocity of an object approaches the speed of light, the kinetic energy increases significantly. However, it is important to note that the increase in energy is not solely due to the increase in mass but also the effect of time dilation and the relativistic relationship between energy, mass, and velocity.
So, in accordance with Einstein's equation, as an object approaches the speed of light, the energy does increase, but it is not a simple linear relationship. The increase in energy is related to the object's mass, velocity, and the Lorentz factor.