What is the relationship between kinetic and potential energy?
Totally Confused? No problem. First you should know what kinetic and potential energy are.
Kinetic Energy: The energy an object has due to motion. Examples: A moving car or the kinetic energy your body has when you run or simply walk. Note: Objects ONLY have kinetic energy when they are moving. Objects that are not moving have ZERO kinetic energy.
Potential Energy: The energy stored in an object. There are three main types of potential energy: chemical potential energy, gravitational potential energy and elastic potential energy.
Their Relationship:
Potential Energy can be transformed into kinetic energy. For instances, when you are sitting down (and are perfectly still) you have potential energy stored inside of you but when you get up and walk or run you have kinetic energy because you are moving.
Note: When kinetic energy goes up potential energy goes down and vice- versa.
Look at the diagrams below for visual examples:
Totally Confused? No problem. First you should know what kinetic and potential energy are.
Kinetic Energy: The energy an object has due to motion. Examples: A moving car or the kinetic energy your body has when you run or simply walk. Note: Objects ONLY have kinetic energy when they are moving. Objects that are not moving have ZERO kinetic energy.
Potential Energy: The energy stored in an object. There are three main types of potential energy: chemical potential energy, gravitational potential energy and elastic potential energy.
Their Relationship:
Potential Energy can be transformed into kinetic energy. For instances, when you are sitting down (and are perfectly still) you have potential energy stored inside of you but when you get up and walk or run you have kinetic energy because you are moving.
Note: When kinetic energy goes up potential energy goes down and vice- versa.
Look at the diagrams below for visual examples: