Mission WE3 Kinetic and Potential Energy
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Which of the following variations will increase the kinetic energy of an object?
Many students become confused by height, speed, and kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is simply the energy of motion. The faster that an object moves, the greater its kinetic energy. Often times (but certainly not always) a decrease in height will correspond to an increase in speed and a subsequent increase in kinetic energy. But don't be fooled! This is not always the case. It is possible for an object to decrease its height at a constant speed - for instance, when climbing down a flight of stairs or descending on an elevator.
The formula for kinetic energy is stated in the Formula Frenzy section. As expressed by the equation, kinetic energy depends upon the mass and the velocity. Any increase in these two quantities will lead to an increase in the amount of kinetic energy possessed by the object.
