Potential and kinetic energy
Potential energy is the energy stored within an object, due to the position, arrangement, or state of the object. Potential energy is one of the two main forms of energy, along with kinetic energy. Potential energy is the latent energy in an object at rest and is one of two forms of energy. The other form, kinetic energy, is the energy expressed by a moving object. Potential energy is a central concept of any physics-based discussion and one of the most influential variables in the formulas that describe our known universe. Today in this blog we want to give you information about potential energy and kinetic energy so that you can learn a little about energy. So enjoy everything we share below.
| Kinetic energy | Potential energy | |
| Definition | It is the energy of a body or a system with respect to the movement of the body or of the particles in the system. | It is the potential energy is the energy stored in an object or system due to its position or configuration. |
| Relationship with the environment | The kinetic energy of an object is relative to other moving and stationary objects in its immediate surroundings. | Potential energy is not relative to the environment of an object. |
| How it is transferred | Kinetic energy can be transferred from one moving object to another, say, in collisions. | Potential energy cannot be transferred. |
| Unit of measurement | Joule (J) | Joule (J) |
| Determining factors | Speed / velocity and mass | Height or distance and mass |
| Examples | Flowing water, like falling from a waterfall. | Water at the top of a waterfall, before the precipice. |
Index
What is potential energy?
Potential energy is energy that is stored, or conserved, in an object or substance. This stored energy is based on the position, arrangement or state of the object or substance. You can think of it as energy that has the “potential” to do work. When the position, arrangement or state of the object changes, the stored energy will be released.
There are two main types of potential energy:
- Gravitational potential energy
- Elastic potential energy
Gravitational potential energy : gravitational potential energy is the energy contained in an object that is held upright, due to the force of gravity working to pull it down. The amount of gravitational potential energy an object has depends on its height and mass. The heavier the object and the higher it is above the ground, the more gravitational potential energy it contains. Gravitational potential energy increases as weight and height increase. Potential energy is the energy that is stored in an object or substance. Gravitational potential energy is the energy of an object that is held in a vertical position. Elastic potential energy is energy stored in objects that can be stretched or compressed.
Elastic potential energy : Elastic potential energy is the energy stored in objects that can be stretched or compressed, such as trampolines, rubber bands, and bungee cords. The more an object can be stretched, the more elastic potential energy it has.
Potential energy is classified according to the applicable restoring force:
Elastic potential energy : the energy that an elastic body such as the bow and catapult possesses when it is stretched and deformed in one direction is elastic potential energy. The restoring force is the elasticity that acts in the opposite direction.
Chemical potential energy: the energy related to the arrangement of atoms and molecules in a structure is chemical potential energy. The chemical energy that a substance possesses due to the potential it has to undergo a chemical change when participating in a chemical reaction is the chemical potential energy of the substance. When using fuel, for example, the chemical energy stored in the fuel is converted to produce heat.
Electrical potential energy: the energy that an object possesses by virtue of its electrical charge is electrical potential energy. There are two types: electrostatic potential energy and electrodynamic potential energy or magnetic potential energy.
Nuclear potential energy: the potential energy possessed by particles (neutrons, protons) within an atomic nucleus is nuclear potential energy. For example, hydrogen fusion in the sun converts potential energy stored in solar matter into light energy.
What is kinetic energy?
Kinetic energy is the energy that an object has due to its motion. It is the energy of mass in motion. The kinetic energy of an object is the energy it has due to its motion. If we want to accelerate an object, we must apply a force, and applying a force requires work. After the work is done, energy has been transferred to the object and the object will move with a new constant speed. The energy transferred is known as kinetic energy and depends on the mass and speed achieved. Kinetic energy can be transferred between objects and transformed into other types of energy.
Perhaps the most important property of kinetic energy is its ability to work. Work is defined as the force acting on an object in the direction of motion. Work and energy are so closely related that they are interchangeable. While the energy of motion is generally expressed as E = ½mv2, work (W) is most often considered as force (F) multiplied by distance (d): W = Fd. If we want to change the kinetic energy of a massive object, we must work on it.
For example, to lift a heavy object, we must work to overcome the force due to gravity and move the object upward. If the object weighs twice as much, it takes twice as much work to lift it the same distance. It also takes twice as much work to lift the same object twice as much. Similarly, to slide a heavy object across the floor, we must overcome the force of friction between the object and the floor. The work required is proportional to the weight of the object and the distance it is moving.
The kinetic energy of an object is calculated from the speed and mass of the object. As you can see from the equation below, velocity is squared and can have a significant impact on kinetic energy. Here is the equation to calculate the kinetic energy
(KE): KE = 1/2 * m * v2
where m = mass and v = velocity
The standard unit of kinetic energy is the joule (J) which is the standard unit for energy in general. Other units of energy include the newton-meter (Nm) and the kilogram square meter over seconds squared (kg m2 / s2). Kinetic energy is a scalar quantity, which means that it only has one magnitude and not one direction. It is not a vector.
Differences between potential and kinetic energy
Kinetic energy is due to the motion of an object, while potential energy is due to the position or state of an object. When you calculate the kinetic energy of an object, its speed is an important factor. However, speed has nothing to do with the potential energy of an object.
Kinetic energy is the energy that a body possesses by virtue of its movement. Potential energy is the energy that a body possesses by virtue of its position or state. While the kinetic energy of an object is relative to the state of other objects in its environment, the potential energy is completely independent of its surroundings. Therefore, the acceleration of an object is not evident in the motion of an object, where other objects in the same environment are also in motion.
I hope you liked all the information that we give you in this blog …
About Author
JessicaTempest
Bachelor in Technological and Industrial Chemistry from the Federal University of Alagoas in 2018 and a Technical in Chemistry from the Federal Institute of Education, Science, and Technology of Pernambuco in 2011. Completed complementary courses involving information management, intellectual property, laboratory techniques, and operation of chemical processes. I have been working since 2016 with online content production. I also held positions in the administrative, educational, laboratory, and industrial areas.