Potential and Kinetic Energy – Newton's Cradle

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A look at energy transformations that occur when balls collide in a Newton's cradle.

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All forms of energy can be described as either stored energy or moving energy.

The stored energy in an object is called potential energy. Food has potential energy. The energy is transformed into other forms when we eat the food and use the energy to move about, keep warm and stay healthy.

Potential energy is also related to the shape and position of an object. If you hold a ball above your head, the ball has potential energy due to its position. If you drop the ball, the potential energy is transformed into moving energy.

When potential energy is released, it is converted into kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is the energy of an object due to its movement. All moving objects, from the tiny particles that make up our air to an airplane flying in the sky, have kinetic energy.

The amount of kinetic energy in an object depends on how fast it is moving. The faster an object moves, the greater its kinetic energy.

The amount of kinetic energy also depends on the mass of an object. If two objects are moving at the same speed, the object with the greater mass has the greater amount of kinetic energy.

We can compare the potential energy and kinetic energy of an object by looking at what happens during a roller coaster ride. As the cars climb up the track, their potential energy increases as they get higher.

At rest on the top of the track, the cars have the most potential energy and no kinetic energy. As the cars move down the track, the potential energy is converted into kinetic energy. As the cars get faster, their kinetic energy increases. As they get lower, their potential energy decreases.

Видео Potential and Kinetic Energy – Newton's Cradle канала Next Generation Science