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Kinetic energy is the energy a body has because of its mass in motion.

and

Potential energy is the energy a body has because of its position in a gravitational field (- the energy trying to pull it down).

These are two different types of energy but the energy is interchangeable. For instance:-

If you hold a cube of steel 3 feet in the air, it's total energy is its gravitational potential (potential energy).

When you release the cube, this potential energy is converted into movement (kinetic energy).

When it hits the ground it will stop but the kinetic energy will have been dissipated in the form of other energies or mechanical work - sound, some heating of the ground and the object and perhaps a small dent.

Now the object is 3 ft closer to the center of the gravity field and has less potential energy than before (but still has some, it wants to fall further)

Thus the total energy equation is:-

Energy at the start (all potential) = Residual potential energy + kinetic energy of falling (which is = to dissipated energy -sound, heat and dent)

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11y ago
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14y ago

For particle motion, there are two types of energy (that I am aware of): kinetic and potential. Kinetic energy is the energy of movement, or the type of energy that particles have when actually in motion. Potential energy is the capacity for a mass to do work, usually based on its position in space. For example, picture a large boulder on top of a hill. In terms of kinetic energy, its energy level is nil, but it has a large amount of potential energy because, if given a small push, it will roll down the hill. The energy level of the system will remain the same, except now all the potential energy will transfer to kinetic energy as the boulder rolls. Eventually, all that kinetic energy will get transfered into the surrounding system through friction, but the energy in the entire system will remain the same.

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10y ago

In a system like a pendulum the kinetic plus potential energy stays the same, but when the pendulum goes through its lowest point all the energy is kinetic, while when it is stopped at the end of its swing, all the energy is potential. With a practical pendulum the total energy runs down slowly over time.

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9y ago

Nothing!

When there are no energy losses through friction, the sum of the PE and the KE is constant. An example is seen in a planet's orbit around the Sun. The planet's distance varies as it follows its elliptical orbit, and the speed also varies as the distance changes, but the total energy stays the same.

When there are frictional losses, the total energy decays slowly to heat. An example is a pendulum that is swinging freely. The KE and PE are exchanged twice per cycle, but as the total energy decays away the pendulum slowly comes to rest over a long period of time.

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12y ago

kinetic energy is movement energy

potential energy is energy that could be turned into energy

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11y ago

mechanical energy is when something that moved stopped moving but can still move and potential energy is when something can (is ready to move) and kinectic energy is when something is moving

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10y ago

It stays as potential energy until transformed into kinetic energy.

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Q: Which amount of potential and kinetic energy changes but the total amount of mechanical energy stays the same?
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What energy that is the total amount of kinetic and potential energy?

well the sum of potential and kinetic energy must equal zero because if a body is at rest initially it possess potential energy but when it gets into motion all those potential energy will be converted to kinetic energy, Basically kinetic energy is a result of potential energy. Answer2: The sum of potential energy and Kinetic energy is quaternion energy. kinetic energy is vector energy and potential energy is scalar energy. The sum of a scalar and a vector is a quaternion. William Rowan Hamilton discovered this in 1843. Currently Physics does not recognize kinetic energy as a vector. The sum of gravitational potential and kinetic energy is E = -mMG/r + mcV where mcV is the kinetic/vector energy. This vector energy is the source of "dark energy". It is also the reason the Cosmos is in equilibrium (not contracting), in that it balances the gravitational force of attraction with mcDel.V, the centrifugal force of expansion. The centrifugal force is the divergence force from a vector, the kinetic energy mcV, a vector energy.


How can kinetic energy change into potential energy?

Yes, kinetic energy can change into potential energy. in order to do so the delta x would have to increase. for example if a skier were to go off a large jump, they would be using their kinetic energy to gain altitude and that would be increasing the potential energy, hope this helps, not being able to do so would be completely illogical


Distinguish between potential energy from kinetic energy?

There are many kinds of potential energy but only one kind of kinetic energy. Using gravitational energy as potential energy we get. mgh=1/2mv2 simplifying gives 2gh=v2


What type of energy can Kinetic energy can be converted to?

Yes it can. Potential Energy is "stored energy", while kinetic energy is the energy of an object in motion.Kinetic and Potential EnergyHistoryA roller coaster train going down hill represents merely a complex case as a body is descending an inclined plane. Newton's first two laws relate force and acceleration, which are key concepts in roller coaster physics. At amusement parks, Newton's laws can be applied to every ride. These rides range from 'The Swings' to The 'Hammer'. Newton was also one of the developers of calculus which is essential to analyzing falling bodies constrained on more complex paths than inclined planes. A roller coaster rider is in an gravitational field except with the Principle of Equivalence.Potential EnergyPotential energy is the same as stored energy. The "stored" energy is held within the gravitational field. When you lift a heavy object you exert energy which later will become kinetic energy when the object is dropped. A lift motor from a roller coaster exerts potential energy when lifting the train to the top of the hill. The higher the train is lifted by the motor the more potential energy is produced; thus, forming a greater amount if kinetic energy when the train is dropped. At the top of the hills the train has a huge amount of potential energy, but it has very little kinetic energy.Kinetic EnergyThe word "kinetic" is derived from the Greek word meaning to move, and the word "energy" is the ability to move. Thus, "kinetic energy" is the energy of motion --it's ability to do work. The faster the body moves the more kinetic energy is produced. The greater the mass and speed of an object the more kinetic energy there will be. As the train accelerates down the hill the potential energy is converted into kinetic energy. There is very little potential energy at the bottom of the hill, but there is a great amount of kinetic energy.TheoryWhen the train is at the top and bottom of the hill there is not any potential or kinetic energy being used at all. The train at the bottom of the first drop should have enough energy to get back up the height of the lift hill. The "Act of Faith" in riding these amazing rides which seems more of a phenomena that is only a theory. In practices, the train never could make it back up the hill because of dissipative forces. Friction and air resistance, and even possible mid-course breaks, are dissipative forces causing the theory to be changed but not destroyed. These forces make it impossible for the train to have enough energy to make it back up the lift hill's height. In the absence of the dissipative forces the potential and kinetic energies(mechanical energy) will remain the same. Since the mechanical energy is destroyed by the forces, the first hill is always the highest


When a book falls to the floor what happens to the potential energy?

When you drop a book the original potential energy is converted into the kinetic energy, When the book hits bottom the kinetic energy is absorbed by the surface underneath and some is converted to sound energy. This maintains the law of conservation of energy. the total amount of energy in this universe is constant and remains constant. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed it can just change its form from one form to another.

Related questions

Amount of kinetic and potential energy of an object?

Mechanical Energy :)


What is the total amount of kinetic energy and potential energy in a system?

Internal energy at the microscopic level and thermodynamic or mechanical energy at the macroscopic level.


What is the amount of work an object can do because of the kinetic and potential energies of the object?

Mechanical Energy :)


What is the total amount kinetic and potential energy in a system?

The sum of both is known as "mechanical energy".


Total amount of potential and kinetic energy?

Total Energy = Potential + Kinetic TE=PE+KE


The total amount of the kinetic energy and potential energy in an object?

It's internal energy if the object is microscopic and thermodynamic or mechanical energy if it's macroscopic.


What is machanical energy?

Mechanical energy is associated with the motion or position of an object. It can occur as potential energy or kinetic energy.


When does a coaster have a large amount of Kinetic Energy and when does it have a large amount of Potential Energy?

The coaster have a large amount of potential energy when it gain height, kinetic energy when it gain speed instead.


As the temperature of a gas decreases what changes occurs in the amount of kinetic energy?

The amount of kinetic energy increases.


What is amount of energy an object has in it?

It is the sum of the potential and kinetic energies


Is it possible to have more kinetic energy than potential energy?

No, because potential energy is the amount of energy that COULD be used, while kinetic energy is the amount of energy that IS being used.


What energy transformation occurs in a pencil sharpener?

mechanical energy