What is energy in the form of motion called?

• A. Potential energy
• B. Kinetic energy
• C. Thermal energy
• D. Chemical energy

Answer: (B)

Kinetic energy is energy in motion. It depends on how much matter is moving and how fast it’s moving; more mass or greater speed means more kinetic energy, described by KE = 1/2 m v^2 in joules. When objects move, their energy is kinetic; as they slow, that energy can be converted into heat or other forms. The other energy types are potential energy, stored due to position (like a raised object or a stretched spring); thermal energy, related to temperature and the random motion of molecules; and chemical energy, stored in chemical bonds. This is why a rolling ball or a moving car has kinetic energy, while a raised object has potential energy.