Energy
• Energy: the ability to cause change.
– Measured in Joules (J)
• 1 Joule = 1 kg*m2/s2
– There are many different types of energy. We will
start by learning about kinetic and potential.
Kinetic Energy
• Kinetic Energy: (KE) energy in motion.
KE = ½ mv 2
– Mass measured in
(kg)
– Velocity measured
in (m/s)
Example #1
A jogger with a mass of 60 kg is moving at a
speed of 3.0 m/s. What is the jogger’s kinetic
energy?
KE = ? KE = ½ (60.0)(3.0)2
m = 60.0 kg KE = (30)(9)
v = 3.0 m/s KE = 270 J
KE = ½ mv2
Practice Time
1. A baseball with a mass of 0.15 kg is moving at a
speed of 40 m/s. What is the baseball’s kinetic
energy?
Answer: KE = 120 J
2. If a stone has 390 J of energy and is moving with
a speed of 12 m/s, what is the mass of the stone?
Answer: m = 5.42 kg
3. What is the velocity of a 0.06 kg ball moving with
75 J of energy?
Answer: v = 50 m/s
Potential Energy
• Potential Energy:
stored energy
– 3 types of potential
energy:
• Elastic potential
energy
• Chemical potential
energy
• Gravitational
potential energy
Potential Energy
• Elastic Potential
Energy: energy
stored in objects
being compressed
or stretched
– Examples:
• Bow and arrow
• Spring
• Slingshot
Potential Energy
• Chemical
Potential Energy:
energy stored in
chemical bonds of
compounds.
– Examples:
• Firewood
• Battery
• Food
Potential Energy
• Gravitational Potential Energy: (GPE)
energy stored in objects that are above
Earth’s surface.
GPE = ham
– Height measured in
(m)
– Acceleration due to At the peak of its path, the sphere
gravity measured in pauses for just a second and has
gravitational potential energy, before
(m/s2) it converts back to kinetic energy as
– Mass measured in (kg) it moves towards the other spheres.
Example #2
How much gravitational potential energy does
a 5 kg rock have if it is sitting on the edge of a
cliff that is 10 m high?
GPE = ? GPE = ham
m = 5 kg GPE = (10)(9.8)(5)
a = 9.8 m/s2 GPE = 490 J
h = 10 m
GPE = ham
Practice Time
1. A Viking ship roller coaster at the fair has a mass
of 36,000 kg. If at its peak it reaches a height of
20 m off the ground, how much gravitational
potential energy does it have?
Answer: GPE = 7,056,000 J
2. A 1.5 kg apple pie is sitting on the kitchen counter.
If it has 13.44 J of gravitational potential energy,
how tall is the counter it sits on?
Answer: h = 0.914 m
3. A suitcase weighing 120 N sits on a counter 1.8 m
high in the airport. How much energy does it
have? Answer: GPE = 216 J
