Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Kinetic energy is the energy possessed by an object due to its motion.
Related terms
Potential Energy: Potential energy refers to stored energy that can be converted into other forms, such as kinetic energy.
Conservation of Energy: Conservation of energy states that total energy remains constant within a closed system; it can only be transferred or transformed from one form to another.
Work: In physics, work is the transfer of energy that occurs when a force is applied to an object and it moves in the direction of the force.