Kinetic Energy Kids

The energy of moving objects is called kinetic energy. For easy understanding for kids, kinetic energy is explained in simple manner here. Click here o know more about the kinetic energy

Kinetic energy for kids

“For easy understanding for kids, kinetic energy is explained in simple manner here”

Have you ever wondered how things are moving??!! It’s all because of the kinetic energy. When an object is moving it has energy. Since the object is in motion it needs energy. The moving object may have rotational or horizontal or vertical movement. Energy can change its form kinetic energy to potential energy and potential energy to kinetic energy.

An example is a car being driven up a hill, during which time it is demonstrating kinetic energy or energy in motion. When it sits on the top of the hill it has potential or stored energy. If it is then allowed to roll back down the hill the potential energy changes again into kinetic energy.

Kinetic Energy

What is the common thing that you observe in the above images?

Kinetic energy Definition

  • Kinetic energy is one of many types of energy that exist. This is energy generated because something is moving — the faster it’s going, the more kinetic energy it has. A person sitting has no kinetic energy, but a person running like a maniac has tremendous kinetic energy: 

  • The energy possessed by a body because of its motion, equal to one half the mass of the body times the square of its speed.

  • The amount of kinetic energy KE of an object in translational motion is equal to one-half the product of its mass m and the square of its velocity v.

  • Kinetic energy is given as follows,

    Kinetic energy = ½(mv^2)

Kinetic energy Unit

  • Kinetic energy is measured in the units of joules.

  • One joule is the amount of work done when an applied force of 1 newton moves through a distance of 1 metre in the direction of the force.

  • Kinetic energy is a scalar quantity.

  • Kinetic energy does not have a direction.

Kinetic energy example

  • Kinetic energy can be seen in daily life. Some of the example that can be seen in normal life are explained below.

  • When you hit a nail on a wall with a hammer with a force, thereby, with a velocity, the kinetic energy of the hammer helps you to drive the nail into the wall.

  • You are able to travel in a car, train or an airplane because of the kinetic energy of the vehicle. Your body is made to travel a distance because you take a part of the kinetic energy of the vehicle.

Types of kinetic energy

Three types of kinetic energy are available. They are

  • Rotational Kinetic Energy 

  • Translational Kinetic Energy 

  • Vibrational Kinetic Energy 

Rotational kinetic energy definition

Rotational kinetic energy occurs when matter spins around an axis. The second hand on a watch exhibits rotational energy. The Earth has rotational energy as it spins around its axis.

Translational Kinetic Energy definition

Translational Kinetic Energy is when something is moving in a straight line, like driving your car down the road. It is also when molecules of air are flying around us all the time (even though we can’t see or feel them). 

Vibrational Kinetic Energy definition

Vibrational Kinetic Energy is Vibrational energy through Vibrational motion. Think of a spring joining two weights together. You pull on one of the weights far away and then watch them swing back and forth, towards and away from each other. This is also the same kind of motion that atoms when they are joined together to form molecules.