
Example 4Ī vehicle in motion is using kinetic energy to move it forward on the road. When the hammer head strikes the nail head, the velocity and power of the swing transfer into the hammer strike, which is how a nail is driven into wood. That pause before a backswing is when the potential energy “accumulates” in the hammer swing back toward the original position. As you swing the hammer, you’re using kinetic energy. Using a hammer has both potential and kinetic energy at work. Once he is in motion, and gliding down the hills, his potential energy becomes kinetic motion, which increases as his velocity increases. Example 2Īt the top of a hill, a downhill skier has potential energy. The high velocity and large mass of the airplane mean it has significant kinetic energy. Example 1Īn airplane in flight has kinetic energy. To further explain, we’ll offer a variety of examples of kinetic energy. What are Some Examples of Kinetic Energy? An object, like a frisbee in someone’s hand, has potential energy, but once it leaves the person’s hand and is in motion, it has kinetic energy. The difference between kinetic energy and potential energy is whether or not the object is in motion. What’s the Difference Between Kinetic Energy and Potential Energy?

The higher the speed, the higher the velocity of an object.Īn object’s kinetic energy increases as its velocity increases. What is Velocity?īasically, velocity is the speed of motion of an object.

If it is “nudged” forward, it will fly down the tracks, using its potential energy to become kinetic energy. The position of an object, or its parts, determine its potential energy.įor example, a roller coaster that’s flown down one slope and is sitting atop the next slope has potential energy. Potential energy is not being used, but it is energy that could be used.

You could also say that kinetic energy is the energy of motion. The work that’s needed to accelerate an object to its velocity from a state of resting is another way of putting kinetic energy. A very basic definition of kinetic energy is that the energy an object has due to its motion is kinetic energy. The word “kinetic” comes from the Greek word that means motion. Kinetic energy is a term in physics used to describe the energy of an object in motion. Within these forms, any object that has energy may have kinetic or potential energy.
