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Explanation of Types of Energy by Ron Kurtus - Succeed in Understanding Physics. Also refer to physical science, work, force, kinetic energy, potential energy, motion, velocity, mass, heat, light, chemical, nuclear, School for Champions. Copyright © Restrictions
Types of Energy
by Ron Kurtus (revised 19 October 2007)
Energy is defined as the capacity to do work. When a force applied on an object moves that object, work is done and energy is expended. An object has kinetic energy if it is moving. If there are some constrained or pent-up forces, preventing the object to move, the object is said to have potential energy. There are various subsets or forms of both kinetic and potential energy.
Questions you may have include:
- What is kinetic energy?
- What is potential energy?
- What are subsets of kinetic and potential energy?
This lesson will answer those questions. There is a mini-quiz near the end of the lesson.
Useful tools: Metric-English Conversion | Scientific Calculator.
Kinetic energy
The standard textbook definition of energy is the "ability to do work." Unfortunately, this definition does not really give a good picture of what energy is all about. We normally think of an object having energy as one that is moving. The energy of a moving object is called kinetic energy and is abbreviated as KE.
The properties of kinetic energy are that the greater the mass of a moving object, the greater its energy will be. Also, the faster it goes, the greater its energy. That energy is proportional to the square of the velocity.
The equation for calculating the kinetic energy of an object is
KE = ½ mv²
where:
- m is the mass of the object
- v is its speed of velocity and v² is the velocity squared or v times v
- ½ mv² is one-half times m times v²
Note that the velocity of the object must be much less than the speed of light. When the speed of an object—such as an atomic particle—approaches the speed of light (c), its kinetic energy approaches E = mc², according to the Theory of Relativity.
Potential Energy
There are situations when an object has the potential to start moving and gain kinetic energy. Often there are forces acting on the object, but the forces aren't yet sufficient to move the object.
Potential due to gravity
If you hold an object a distance from the floor, it has the potential to start moving, once you let it go. The force of gravity is pulling on the object, giving it potential energy. The equation is
PE = mgh
where:
- PE is the potential energy
- m is its mass
- g is the acceleration of gravity (32 ft/s² or 9.8 m/s²)
- mg is the weight of the object (m times g)
- h is the height of the object from the floor or ground
PE becomes KE
If you drop the object, its potential energy will become the kinetic energy of motion (PE = KE).
Since PE = mgh and KE = ½ mv², then:
mgh = ½ mv²
You can determine the speed it will be traveling after falling a height h by solving the equation for v:
v² = 2gh
Take the square root of both sides of the equation:
v = SQRT(2gh) or v = √(2gh)
Note that the mass m cancels out of the equation, meaning that all objects fall at the same rate.
Thus, if h = 1 ft, and since g = 32 ft/s², then v² = 2*32*1 = 64 and v = √64 = 8 ft/s.
Other types of PE
Other examples of potential energy that could cause motion include explosive chemical compounds and a coiled spring, ready to be released. A stretched rubber band, also has potential energy.
With chemical explosives, it is difficult to calculate the potential energy without experimenting to see how much kinetic energy is released in an explosion.
With a compressed spring, there are calculations that can determine its strength and potential energy.
Other forms or subsets of energy
Often, you will hear about other forms of energy, such as heat and electrical energy. In reality, they are also kinetic energy.
Heat energy
Heat is the movement of molecules. It is the sum of the kinetic energy of an object's molecules. In many physics textbooks, they look at heat as some sort of substance and heat energy as something independent of kinetic energy. In our lessons, it is just one subset of kinetic energy.
Electrical energy
Electrical energy is the movement of electrons. That is kinetic energy. The voltage in an electrical circuit is the potential energy that can start electrons moving. Electrical forces cause the movement to occur.
Chemical energy
Chemical energy is potential energy until the chemical reaction puts atoms and molecules in motion. Heat energy (KE) is often the result of a chemical reaction.
Light energy
Light is the movement of waves and/or light particles (photons). It is usually formed when atoms gain so much kinetic energy from being heated that they give off radiation. This is often from electrons jumping orbits and emitting moving photons.
Nuclear energy
Certain elements have potential nuclear energy, such that there are internal forces pent up on their nucleus. When that potential energy is released, the result is kinetic energy in the form of rapidly moving particles, heat and radiation.
Summary
Energy is defined as the capacity to do work. An object has kinetic energy if it is moving. If there are some constrained or pent-up forces, preventing the object to move, the object is said to have potential energy. There are various subsets or forms of both kinetic and potential energy, such as heat, chemical, electrical, light and nuclear energy.
Be energetic in your pursuit of excellence
Resources and references
The following resources provide information on this subject:
Websites
Books
Mini-quiz to check your understanding
If you got all three correct, you are on your way to becoming a Champion in Physics. If you had problems, you had better look over the material again.
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Types of Energy