Potential and Kinetic Energy Review

Front

What is potential energy?

Back

Potential energy is stored energy due to the position or arrangement of an object. It is energy that has the potential to do work.

Front

What is kinetic energy?

Back

Kinetic energy is the energy of an object in motion. It depends on the mass of the object and its velocity.

Front

How is potential energy converted to kinetic energy?

Back

Potential energy is converted to kinetic energy when an object moves from a higher position to a lower position, such as a ball rolling down a hill.

Front

What factors affect potential energy?

Back

Potential energy is affected by the height of an object and its mass. The higher the object and the more mass it has, the greater its potential energy.

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What factors affect kinetic energy?

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Kinetic energy is affected by the mass of the object and its speed. The greater the mass and the faster the speed, the greater the kinetic energy.

Front

In a closed system, what happens to the total energy?

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In a closed system, the total energy remains constant. Energy can change forms (e.g., from potential to kinetic) but cannot be created or destroyed.

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What is an example of potential energy in everyday life?

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An example of potential energy is a book on a shelf. It has potential energy due to its height above the ground.

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What is an example of kinetic energy in everyday life?

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An example of kinetic energy is a moving car. The car has kinetic energy due to its motion.

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How does height affect potential energy?

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The higher an object is, the more potential energy it has. This is because potential energy is calculated as mass times gravity times height (PE = mgh).

Front

How does speed affect kinetic energy?

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Kinetic energy increases with the square of the speed. If the speed doubles, the kinetic energy increases by four times.