Kinetic Energy: Energy in Motion

What You'll Learn

Kinetic energy is the energy of motion. A moving car, a rolling ball, and a flying bird all have kinetic energy. The faster an object moves, the more kinetic energy it has.

Key Words

potential energy
work

Materials Needed

stopwatch
pencils
toy cars

Safety First

Clean up spills immediately to prevent slipping.
Use materials only as directed in the experiment.
Keep small objects away from young children.

Steps

Step 1 — Read

Read and learn: Kinetic energy is the energy of motion. A moving car, a rolling ball, and a flying bird all have kinetic energy. The faster an object moves, the more kinetic energy it has.

Step 2 — Do

Gather your materials and set up your workspace.

Step 3 — Observe

Watch carefully for any changes and note the time.

Step 4 — Record

Create a data table to organize your measurements.

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 3

What type of energy does a moving object have?