Which statement best describes kinetic energy?

Which statement best describes kinetic energy?

• A. Energy Stored in Position
• B. Energy of Motion
• C. Thermal Energy
• D. Chemical Energy

Answer: (B)

Kinetic energy is the energy an object has because it is moving. This is best described by saying it is the energy of motion. The faster an object moves and the heavier it is, the more kinetic energy it has, because speed and mass determine how much energy the moving object carries. For example, a rolling ball and a fast car both have kinetic energy that can do work as they move; if they speed up, their kinetic energy increases, and when they slow down, that energy is released to the surroundings as heat or sound. Other terms describe different kinds of energy: energy stored due to position is potential energy, energy related to temperature and particle motion is thermal energy, and energy stored in chemical bonds is chemical energy.

Kinetic energy is the energy an object has because it is moving. This is best described by saying it is the energy of motion. The faster an object moves and the heavier it is, the more kinetic energy it has, because speed and mass determine how much energy the moving object carries. For example, a rolling ball and a fast car both have kinetic energy that can do work as they move; if they speed up, their kinetic energy increases, and when they slow down, that energy is released to the surroundings as heat or sound.

Other terms describe different kinds of energy: energy stored due to position is potential energy, energy related to temperature and particle motion is thermal energy, and energy stored in chemical bonds is chemical energy.