Kinetic and Gravitational Potential Energy

Vocabulary flashcards covering kinetic energy, gravitational potential energy, and their influencing factors based on science instructional notes.

Energy

The ability to cause change.

Kinetic Energy

The energy of motion possessed by any moving object or vibrating particle.

Potential Energy

Energy due to the position or shape of an object that gives it the possibility or future ability to cause change or motion.

Gravitational Potential Energy

The type of potential energy an object has due to its position relative to Earth's surface, caused by the force of gravity.

Factors Affecting Kinetic Energy

Mass and speed; an object's kinetic energy is proportional to its mass and the square of its speed.

Factors Affecting Gravitational Potential Energy

Mass and height; the amount of gravitational potential energy is proportional to the mass of an object and its height above Earth's surface.

Thermal Energy

A form of kinetic energy caused by the motion of particles, such as moving particles of air hitting skin to produce heat.

Potential

Refers to something that is possible but not yet actual.

Forms of Kinetic Energy

Movement of solid objects, thermal energy, electricity, light, and sound.

Balanced Rock

A geological formation in Big Bend National Park in Texas that holds a large amount of gravitational potential energy due to its massive size and height above Earth's surface.