Lesson 3: Predicting and Observing Changes in Energy

How can we change the amount of motion (kinetic) energy of an object?

The faster an object moves, the more motion (kinetic) energy it has. As an object goes down an incline, it goes faster and faster as position energy (potential energy) is converted to motion energy (kinetic energy). The higher the incline, the faster the object goes when it moves down the incline. Objects that are not moving can have position (potential) energy. Position (potential) energy can be transformed into energy of motion (kinetic). If the moving object has a collision with another object, energy can be transferred from one object to another and the motion of each object will change. The more motion (kinetic) energy an object has, the more energy will be transferred in the collision.

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