1. a. Explain the difference between potential energy and kinetic energy
Answers
Answer:
kinetic energy is the energy possessed by a body because of its motion.It is scaler quantity.
The energy possessed by a body due to its position or change in shape is called potential energy.It is scaler quantity.
Answer:
The main difference between potential and kinetic energy is that one is the energy of what can be and one is the energy of what is. In other words, potential energy is stationary, with stored energy to be released; kinetic energy is energy in motion, actively using energy for movement.
Explanation:
Energy is everywhere and comes in many forms, with the two most common forms known as potential energy and kinetic energy. Though they’re very different in terms of how they interact with the physical world, they have certain aspects that make them complementary to one another. But to understand how they work, you first need to understand what they are — and the definition of energy itself.
What Is Potential and Kinetic Energy?
Before understanding either form of energy, it’s vital to understand what energy really is. In the simplest terms, energy is the ability to do work, which is when a force is applied to an object and it moves[1].
Potential energy is one of the two main types of energy in the universe. It’s fairly straightforward, although slightly difficult to grasp intuitively: It is a form of energy that has the potential to do work but is not actively doing work or applying any force on any other objects. Potential energy of an object is found in its position, not its motion. It is the energy of position.
When objects are displaced from positions of equilibrium, they gain energy that was stored in the objects before being knocked out of equilibrium by elastic rebound, gravity, or chemical reactions. This is best demonstrated in an object like an archer’s bow, which stores the energy that is created from pulling back the bowstring. The potential energy stored in the pullback is responsible for the energy that occurs upon release, which is known as kinetic energy.
Kinetic energy is created when potential energy is released, spurred into motion by gravity or elastic forces, among other catalysts.
Although the definition of both potential and kinetic energy may seem pretty straightforward and simple, it’s still not always easy to tell which form of energy is present for certain objects or processes.
1) Planets
The movement of planets around the sun and other stars in the galaxy is kinetic energy at work. As they are drawn towards the large objects at the center of their respective orbits, due to the strong gravitational pull, they fall towards the center of the mass. This results in an orbiting motion — and all motion is a form of kinetic energy. [5]
2) Rubber Bands
Rubber bands can be classified as both potential and kinetic energy, depending on the state of the band. When an elastic is stretched, it’s loaded with potential energy; when released there is a shift to kinetic energy. This is especially true if the elastic is transporting another object, such as with a rock being flung from a slingshot. [6]
3) Rivers
Rivers are strictly kinetic energy at work. The water is constantly moving, and all that motion is constantly creating kinetic energy. The only time a river could have potential energy is if it is dammed, with the artificial reservoir storing energy to be used when needed along a hydroelectric dam. [7]
4) Specific Variations
There are specific variations of energy within both kinetic and potential energy classifications. While some variations, such as the potential energy stored in batteries, are readily apparent, others are not as easy to identify.