What is kinetic energy, and how does it differ from potential energy?
Physics · High School · Sun Jan 24 2021
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Kinetic energy is the energy that an object possesses due to its motion. It is dependent on the mass of the object and the square of its velocity. The formula for calculating kinetic energy (KE) is:
KE = 1/2 mv^2
where m is the mass of the object and v is the velocity at which the object is moving.
On the other hand, potential energy is the energy stored in an object due to its position or configuration in a force field, such as the gravitational field or an electric field. Gravitational potential energy, for example, is dependent on an object's mass (m), the acceleration due to gravity (g), and the height (h) above a reference point. The formula is:
PE = mgh
The main difference between kinetic energy and potential energy is that kinetic energy is associated with movement, while potential energy is associated with the position or state of an object.