Chemistry Regents Practice Test 2025 – The All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

Kinetic energy is defined as the energy an object possesses due to its motion. This energy is dependent on the mass of the object and its velocity, represented by the equation \( KE = \frac{1}{2}mv^2 \). As an object moves faster or has more mass, its kinetic energy increases.

On the other hand, potential energy refers to the energy that is stored in an object due to its position or configuration. Common examples of potential energy include gravitational potential energy, which depends on an object's height above ground level, and elastic potential energy, which is stored in stretched or compressed materials.

The distinction lies in their definitions: kinetic energy relates specifically to movement, while potential energy is related to the position and state of an object. Understanding this difference is fundamental in physics and helps to analyze how energy transforms from one form to another, such as during free fall when potential energy converts to kinetic energy as an object descends.