Question

Distinguish between potential energy and kinetic energy of a body.

Answer 1

Hint: The potential energy is the energy possessed by the body due to virtue of its position relative to the other body. The kinetic energy is the energy stored in the body due to virtue its motion.

Complete step by step answer:
We know there are various forms of energies. In our discussion we will point out the important differences between potential energy and kinetic energy.

The potential energy is the energy possessed by the body due to virtue of its position relative to the other body. It could be due to the intermolecular forces within the body or due to the internal stress. The kinetic energy is the energy stored in the body due to virtue its motion. The moving body has kinetic energy.

The quantity of work required to stop the moving body is known as potential energy while the quantity of work required to accelerate the body from the rest position is known as kinetic energy.

The potential energy requires a reference point for the measurement. The kinetic energy does not require a reference point. The potential energy term does not have a velocity term in it. The kinetic energy always
has a velocity term in it.

The types of potential energy are elastic potential energy, gravitational potential energy, etc. The types of kinetic energy are thermal, radiant, sound, electrical and mechanical.
The relation between work and potential energy is, \[W = - \Delta P\], where, \[\Delta P\] is the change in potential energy. The relation between work and kinetic energy is, \[W = \Delta K\].

The gravitational potential energy is given as, \[P.E = mgh\], where, m is the mass, g is the acceleration due to gravity and h is the height from the ground. The kinetic energy is given as, \[K.E. = \dfrac{1}{2}m{v^2}\], where v is the velocity of the body.

Note:
Even if potential energy and kinetic energy are completely different from each other, the unit of measurement of both the energies is the same and it is joule. The kinetic energy increases when potential energy decreases. Therefore, these two are interrelated.