Basics of physics

Essay by lil_azn77Junior High, 9th grade April 2006

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Kinetic energy is energy that an object or person possesses as a result of movement. Mathematically, it can be shown as half the object's mass multiplied by its speed squared.

The kinetic energy of an object is given by the equation:

Ek = ½mv 2

Where m represents mass and v represents the speed of the object or person.

There are many forms of kinetic energy, and they are:

Vibrational: The energy resulting from vibrational motion.

Rotational: The energy resulting from rotational motion.

Translational: The energy resulting from motion of one location to another.

Kinetic energy is a scalar quantity because it is merely a magnitude without a direction.

Gravitational Potential Energy (Ug) is energy an object has because of its position in a gravitational field. The gravitational potential energy of an object is dependent on two variables:

- The mass of the object

- The height to which the object is raised

The higher the object is lifted, the greater the gravitational potential energy will be.

The gravitational potential energy of an object is given by the equation:

Ug = mgh

Where Ug is the symbol for gravitational potential energy, m represents mass in kilograms, g represents the acceleration of gravity in metres per second squared, and h represents the height of the object in metres.

Both Kinetic and Gravitational potential energy are measured in Joules, or kg m2/s2 using the standard metric system.

Kinetic energy can be passed from one object to another. For example, when you play bowling, you roll the ball down the lane, thus, giving it kinetic energy. When the bowling ball collides with one of the ten pins, it slows down and passes the kinetic energy onto the pins, which in turn hits another and passes it on.

Gravitational potential energy is the energy...