Final answer:
Quadrupling the velocity of an object increases its kinetic energy by 16 times, as kinetic energy is directly proportional to the square of the velocity.
Step-by-step explanation:
When you quadruple the velocity of a moving object, the kinetic energy (KE) increases by the square of the factor by which the velocity is increased. The formula for kinetic energy is KE = 0.5 * m * v^2, where m is the mass of the object and v is its velocity. If the velocity is quadrupled (increased by a factor of 4), you would square this factor (4^2), which means the kinetic energy becomes 16 times greater. So the correct answer is C) 16 times more kinetic energy.