# 20+ Examples of kinetic and potential energy with pictures

The two types of mechanical energy are potential energy and kinetic energy. The object has kinetic energy due to its motion and potential energy due to its position. In this article, we are discussing some real-life examples of kinetic energy and potential energy.

Contents

## Potential energy & Types:

Potential energy indicates the energy held by an object due to its relative position. It can be classified into the following types:-

1] Elastic potential energy:- It is energy stored in an elastic object because of its stretching or elastic deformation.

2] Gravitational potential energy:- It is the energy possessed by the object due to its position in the gravitational field, which is given by,

PE_{\text{Gravitational}} = mgh

Where,
m = Mass of object
g = Acceleration due to gravity
h = Height/Elevation of an object from the ground

3] Electric potential energy:-
Electric potential energy is also known as electrostatic potential energy is the presence of potential energy between the system of charges due to the coulomb forces.

4] Nuclear potential energy:-
It is the potential energy associated with the components of the nucleus of an atom.

## Examples of potential energy:

Following are some examples of elastic potential energy:-

1] Arow in the stretched bow:-
When an archer stretches a string of the bow, due to the elastic deformation of bow material, the elastic potential energy gets stored in the bow and arrow.

2] Stone in slingshot:-
A stone in a tensioned slingshot also possesses elastic potential energy due to the elastic deformation of the rubber of the slingshot.

3] Balloon filled with air:-
The air present in an inflated balloon possesses potential energy due to the deformation of the balloon material. If we start to release this air from the balloon then it will move with a certain velocity because of the conversion of potential energy into kinetic energy.

4] Gas in the cylinder:-
Compressed gas filled in a cylinder tank possesses potential energy.

Following are some examples of gravitational potential energy:-

1] Fruit hanging on a tree:-
The fruits attached to the branch of the tree possess a certain amount of potential energy because of their elevation from the ground.

After ripening when it gets detached from a branch, its potential energy gets converted into kinetic energy.

2] Water stored behind dam:-
Water stored on the hill behind a dam also possesses potential energy. As the door of the dam becomes open, the water starts to flow downhill.

3] Person in a hot air balloon:-
A person in a floating hot air balloon possesses potential energy because of its elevation from the earth’s surface similarly peoples traveling in a plane or helicopter has gravitational potential energy.

4] Rocks on the hill:-
The rocks present on the hill also have gravitational potential energy.

5] Ball at height:-
When we throw a ball in the vertical direction, kinetic energy provided to the ball gets converted into potential energy and when it reaches its maximum height, the ball reaches the highest potential energy.

## Kinetic energy & Types:

Kinetic energy indicates the energy possessed by an object by virtue of its motion.

On the basis of the motion of the object, it is classified into the following types:-

1] Translational kinetic energy:-
It is the kinetic energy possessed by an object due to its translational motion. Example:- A person moving on a road possesses translational kinetic energy.

2] Rotational kinetic energy:-
The energy possessed by the object due to its rotational motion is known as Rotational kinetic energy.

3] Vibrational kinetic energy:-
It is the energy possessed by an object due to its vibrational motion.

## Examples of kinetic energy:

Following are some examples of translational kinetic energy:-

1] Car moving on the road:-
A car running on the road possesses translational kinetic energy by virtue of its velocity.

2] Moving clouds:-
The clouds move in the sky because of the wind. As a result, it too possesses translational kinetic energy.

3] Plane:-
A plane and passengers sitting in the plane move with a certain velocity thus it also has translational kinetic energy.

4] Moving ball:-
A ball moving with a certain velocity also has translational kinetic energy.

5] Satelite:-
The satellites revolving around the planets and the planets revolving around stars possess high kinetic energy.

6] Bullet:-
A bullet fired from a gun gets accelerated in a straight direction and it moves with kinetic energy.

7] Moving water:-
The water flowing in the river, sea, and canals possesses translational kinetic energy.

Following are some examples of rotational kinetic energy:-

1] Ceiling fan:-
A rotating ceiling fan or the exhaust blower in a room possesses rotational kinetic energy.

2] Toy-top:-
A toy-top spins about its central axis with a certain amount of rotational kinetic energy.

3] Giant wheel (Ferris wheel):-
Nearly everyone is familiar with the Ferris wheel. It’s a huge rotating wheel with the passenger carrier attached to its periphery. It rotates about its central axis and hence it possesses rotational kinetic energy.

4] Earth:-
Earth rotates around its own axis with constant angular speed and hence possesses rotational kinetic energy.

5] Flywheel:-
Flywheels are the machine element that stores and provides the kinetic energy to smooth the speed fluctuations of the motor or engine.

## FAQs:

1. What real-world examples of kinetic energy are there?

Following are the real-world examples of kinetic energy,
a] Moving car
b] Walking/running person
c] Bullet fired from a gun

2. What are real-world examples of potential energy?

Following are the real-world examples of potential energy,
a] Water behind the dam
b] Stone in the stretched slingshot
c] Rock on the mountain