Kinetic Energy

A moving object generally said to have kinetic energy. Many interesting things are there with kinetic energy. Want to dig more for kinetic energy??!! You are just one step away. Click here to know more about kinetic energy.

Kinetic Energy

“A moving object generally said to have kinetic energy”

The word kinetic is derived from the Greek word “kinesis” meaning motion. When an object is moving, it possess a energy and such energy is called kinetic energy. The object includes very large things, like planets, and very small ones, like atoms. Heavier objects moves faster and have more kinetic energy. Kinetic energy may be best understood by examples that demonstrate how it is transformed to and from other forms of energy.

Kinetic energy Definition

  • It is defined as the energy of the moving object or energy possessed by an object during motion.
  • It is defined as the energy that objects possess due to their motion.
  • It is the energy of an object due to its motion. Therefore any moving body has kinetic energy.
  • It is defined as the energy of motion which is released from stored energy.

Kinetic Energy

As discussed, kinetic energy is obtained when the object is in motion or moving. But the fact is that all moving objects do not possess the same kinetic energy. The amount of kinetic energy of an object depends mainly on

  • Mass
  • Speed / velocity

Let us discuss it with an example.

1. Which of the above objects possess more kinetic energy if they travel at the same speed?

Kinetic Energy

The answer is semi-truck because its mass is higher than a car and has the same speed. Therefore semi-truck possesses more kinetic energy.

2. When the bottle falls down from the desk, when does it possess most kinetic energy? At the top, middle or bottom of the fall?

Kinetic Energy

The answer is at the bottom of the fall. Because the kinetic energy will be more while it possesses higher speed and movement which is greater when it is at the bottom of the fall before hitting the ground.

Transfer of Kinetic energy

Kinetic Energy

Transfer of kinetic energy takes place when objects which possess kinetic energy collide with another object. For example, the bowling ball does not touch all the pins. But it can knock all of them with one roll since the kinetic energy of the bowling ball transfers its kinetic energy to some pins which further transfers this energy to pins next to them and make them knock down.

Similarly, transfer of kinetic energy takes place when dominos fall. On touching the first domino, you are providing a kinetic energy to it. This domino will fall on to the next one and the kinetic energy from the first domino is transferred to the other and the entire dominos fall down.