Kinetic Energy and Potential Energy Test Study Guide

Question 1

Kinetic Energy

Answer 1

• The energy of an object due to its motion and position. Usually used to describe a large object.
• The larger an object is, the more kinetic energy it has.

Question 2

Mechanical Energy

Answer 2

• the energy of an object due to its motion and position
• usually used to describe large objects
• It is the sum of kinetic and potential energy

Question 3

Non-Mechanical Energy

Answer 3

• the energy of an object that is NOT due to its motion or position
• usually used to describe an object at it’s atomic level
• Ex: Electrical energy, chemical energy, thermal energy, sound energy

Question 4

Mass

Answer 4

• The larger the mass, the more energy is needed to move an object
• The heavier the object is, the more GPE the object has

Question 5

Velocity

Answer 5

• velocity is another way to measure motion.
• velocity is the speed of an object with direction

Question 6

Potential Energy

Answer 6

• Potential energy is energy stored in an object due to the object’s position

Question 7

Gravitational Potential Energy

Answer 7

• Gravitational potential energy is due to elevated positions
• Gravitational potential energy is used at a later time to cause an object to move
• Once a person steps off a diving board, the gravitational potential energy is converted into kinetic energy and the person falls (moves)

Question 8

Gravitational Acceleration

Answer 8

• The free fall acceleration of an object in vacuum without any drag
• This is the steady gain in speed caused exclusively by the force of gravitational attraction

Question 9

Height

Answer 9

• The higher the object is off the ground, the more GPE the object has

Question 10

GPE equation + KE equation

Answer 10

• GPE = mgh
  GPE = (kg)(9.8 m/s) (m)
• KE = ½ mv2
  (Kinetic E: (0.5) (mass) (v x v)

Question 11

Elastic Potential Energy

Answer 11

The more elastic a material is, the more elastic potential energy the object has

Question 12

Relaxed State

Answer 12

• When an object has no potential energy in it. it is neither stretched nor compressed.
• No EPE stored

Question 13

Stretching

Answer 13

Stretching a spring is caused when the object is pulled, increasing the length of the object compared to the relaxed length

Question 14

Compressing

Answer 14

• The larger the distance the elastic material is stretched or compressed the more EPE it has.
• Compressing an object is caused when it’s squeezed. This causes a decrease in the length of the object compared to the relaxed length

Question 15

Positive work

Answer 15

• if an object moves in the same direction as the direction of the force applied to it, the energy of the system is increased.
• work is greater than the object
• w > 0

Question 16

Negative Work

Answer 16

• If an object moves in the direction opposite to the direction of the force applied to it, then the work is negative. The energy of the system is reduced.
• w < 0

Question 17

Zero Work

Answer 17

• if an object does not move. even when there is force applied to it, then no work is being done on the object.
• w = 0 j

Question 18

Work Equation

Answer 18

• w = e ⁱⁿⁱᵗⁱᵃˡ - e ᶠⁱⁿᵃˡ
• 1 joule = 1 newton-meter

Question 19

Energy production from sun

Answer 19

• Solar energy that is produced when photons that are contained in sunlight are absorbed by specially designed plates that are angled towards the sun.
• When the photons hit the solar panels, charged particles are free to move which causes a current to be produced. This current is converted to usable energy by the home.
• Solar energy is converted to electrical energy

Question 20

Energy production from wind

Answer 20

• Wind is a renewable energy resource that is used for energy, such as in the Alta Wind Energy Center in California, the world’s largest wind farm.
• As the wind blows past the blades of the turbine, the wind is transferred. Inside the column of the turbine, there is a drive shaft which is connected to a generator.
• As the blades spin, it spins the drive shaft that is connected to a generator. The kinetic energy (mechanical energy) turns into electric energy!

Question 21

Energy production from water

Answer 21

• Water is a renewable resource that can be used to create electricity such as the Hoover Dam.
• When the water is released downward towards a turbine, the GPE is converted to kinetic energy and spins the turbine.
• The turbine is connected to a generator that converts the mechanical energy to electrical energy

Question 22

Energy production from fossil fuels

Answer 22

• Fossil fuels are a non-renewable energy resource that can be used to produce electricity when it is burned.
• Fossil fuels include: natural gas, oil, and coal (shown to the right).
• When the fuel is burned, the heat turns water into steam which turns the blades of a turbine. The turbine is connected to a generator that converts the mechanical energy into electrical energy