Understanding Kinetic Energy: The Energy of Motion

Kinetic energy is the energy of motion. It is the energy that an object has due to its motion, rather than its position or state of rest. In other words, it is the energy that is required to set an object in motion or to keep it moving.

For example, a rolling ball has kinetic energy because it is moving and has momentum. The faster the ball rolls, the more kinetic energy it has. Similarly, a swinging pendulum has kinetic energy because it is moving back and forth, and a spinning top has kinetic energy because it is rotating around its axis.

In contrast to potential energy, which is the energy an object has due to its position or state of rest, kinetic energy is the energy an object has due to its motion.

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