Kinetic and Potential Energy Notes

Kinetic Energy energy an object has due to its motion

Examples A football being thrown by a quarterback A skydiver or leaf falling to the ground A soccer ball rolling toward the net

Although moving objects have kinetic energy, not all moving objects have the same amount of kinetic energy. The amount of kinetic energy depends on the mass and the speed of the object.

Mass Example A rock and a boulder. The large bolder has more mass so it will cause more damage. Therefore it also has more kinetic energy.

Speed Example The faster a bowling ball moves the more pins it will knock down. The faster the ball the more kinetic energy it has.

In conclusion the more speed and object has, the more kinetic energy the object has. Also, the more mass and object has, the more kinetic energy the object has.

Kinetic energy can be transferred from one object to another when they collide.

Examples Bowling ball and pins Dominoes

Potential Energy energy that is stored because of an object’s position

Example A skier at the top of a hill has more potential energy that a skier standing at the bottom of the hill.

Increasing Potential Energy When you raise an object above its original position, it has the potential to fall. You just increased the object’s potential energy. When it does fall, it has kinetic energy.

Converting Potential and Kinetic Energy Potential energy can be transformed into kinetic energy. Kinetic energy can also be transformed into potential energy.

Potential---->Kinetic Example: When a skier skis down a hill

Kinetic ----->Potential Example: When you throw a ball up into the air. As it gets higher and higher the potential energy is increasing and the kinetic energy is slowing down until it begins to fall again. Before it falls the ball will stop for an instant in the air (Potential energy)

Energy Changes in Falling Water The potential energy that water has at the top of a waterfall is transferred to kinetic energy as it falls down. The kinetic energy of falling water can be used to generate electricity.