I understand the relationship between potential and kinetic energy. But I don’t understand how work and potential energy relate. Is it similar? Can someone explain it clearly like I’m 5? Thanks.
In: Physics
Energy is conserved. It is neither created or destroyed. Potential energy is energy stored in an object’s position. A rock held above the ground has potential energy due to its height and weight. An electron next to another electron has potential energy due to this proximity.
By pushing an object against the force acting on it, you do work and add energy to the potential energy. By pushing those electrons together or raising that rock higher, you do work and increase the potential energy.
If you let it go, then that force will do work back on the object. Uninhibited, all of that potential energy becomes kinetic energy in the object. Realistically, much of it may become light or sound or heat as well (depending on what potential energy you’re talking about).
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