Kaplan Nursing Entrance Practice Exam

What is defined as the energy of movement?

1. Potential energy

2. Kinetic energy

3. Thermal energy

4. Chemical energy

The correct answer is: Kinetic energy

Kinetic energy is defined as the energy of movement. This form of energy is possessed by an object due to its motion. When an object moves, such as a car driving down the street or a ball being thrown, it has kinetic energy that is directly proportional to its mass and the square of its velocity. This means that as either mass or velocity increases, the kinetic energy also increases significantly. The other forms of energy mentioned are not related to movement in the same way. Potential energy refers to stored energy based on an object's position or state, such as an object held at a height or a compressed spring. Thermal energy involves the energy associated with the temperature of an object due to the motion of its particles, while chemical energy is related to the bonds between atoms in a molecule. Each of these energies have different characteristics and contexts in which they apply, making kinetic energy unique in the property of movement.