Energy - Potential and Kinetic

1. Examples of Energy Transfers

1.1. Car

1.1.1. Chemical Potential (fuel) - Kinetic (moving engine and wheels)

1.2. Lamp

1.2.1. Electrical - Light

1.3. Waterfall

1.3.1. Gravitational Potential - kinetic (water moving) - thermal (water hitting ground)

2. Potential energy is energy that is related to an object's position or state.

2.1. Gravitational Potential - Stored energy in raised objects: top of hill, or water at top of waterfall

2.2. Chemical Potential - Stored energy in batteries, or fuel in car tank.

2.3. Elastic Potential - stored in stretched or squashed objects

2.4. Nuclear Potential - energy in nucleus waiting to be released by nuclear fission

3. Kinetic energy is energy associated with motion.

3.1. Electrical - motion of charges - current, lightning

3.2. Mechanical - movement of macroscopic objects - machines, wind, waves, sound (vibrating objects)

3.3. Nuclear

3.4. Thermal - motion of particles/atoms (microscopic objects) - heat, fire

3.5. Electromagnetic - magnets, radio, microwaves, light, solar