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Energy is something that surrounds us and is present in all places and in daily activities, such as running, walking, picking up a mobile phone or cycling. Energy allows changes to occur in bodies, it is a property that can be transferred, transported and stored, also changed from one form to another, conserved in quantity although there is also a part that is lost. In this specific article we will focus on kinetic energy, one of the aspects of mechanical energy, together with potential energy.
If you want to know how kinetic energy works, be sure to read this interesting article by Green Ecologist in which we will explain in detail what is kinetic energy and examples simple to understand it better.
What is kinetic energy and how is it produced
Kinetic energy is that energy that a body has as a consequence of its movement. This energy depends on the mass of the body itself and also on its speed. This energy is the capacity or work that makes it possible for an object to go from being in a state of rest, to being in motion with a certain speed.
Kinetic energy comes produced by the movement itself and is calculated through the kinetic energy formula: the kinetic energy is equal to the product of the mass (m) and the speed squared (v) and divided by two. Simplified it would be: Ec = ½ * mv²
For example, a body that is completely at rest has a kinetic energy coefficient of 0, when it starts moving and accelerates, its kinetic energy will increase. However, for the body to return to a state of rest, it must receive the same amount of energy that it received to set itself in motion, but in a negative way.
Transformation of kinetic energy into electrical
Mechanical energy, in this case, kinetic energy is converted into electricity by a machine which receives the name of Electric generator. The initial energy can be from different natural sources such as, for example, water or wind, which can produce movement and later, thanks to the generator, produce electricity.
Kinetic energy can be used to generate electricity or heatAn example of the change from kinetic energy to electrical energy can be the dynamo of a bicycle, the movement made by the wheel causes the dynamo to rotate and as a result the bicycle light turns on. Another example, in the field of renewable energy, is the electrical energy that is produced in the mechanism that is used in wind energy. This basically what it does is transform the kinetic energy into electrical energy thanks to the movement made by the blades that are placed in the wind turbines.
Examples of kinetic energy
Here are some examples of kinetic energy:
- A person who rides a scooter: When a person picks up a scooter to set it in motion, immediately kinetic energy is produced as the scooter is set in motion.
- The fall of a glass vase: As gravity acts on the glass vase, kinetic energy accumulates in your body as it descends and is released when the vase reaches the ground or on another surface and breaks.
- A ball that has been thrown: By putting our force on a ball that is at rest, we will be accelerating it and it will travel a certain distance depending on the force that has been used. While the ball is in motion it is generating kinetic energy.
- A stone tied into a hillside: The stone falling down the slope will generate kinetic energy that will depend on the mass of the stone and the speed it acquires during the fall.
- Something as simple as walking: When we walk we are also generating kinetic energy, which can vary depending on the weight and the speed with which we carry out the action. For example, if instead of walking, we run, the energy generated will be very much
Difference between kinetic and potential energy
There are different types of energy: thermal, nuclear, electromagnetic or mechanical, among others. So far in this article we have talked about kinetic energy, which is one of the aspects of mechanical energy. The other aspect of mechanical energy is potential energy. But what are the differences between kinetic energy and potential energy?
On the one hand, as we have already mentioned, the Kinetic energy is the one that has a body in terms of his movement. On the other hand, the potential energy is the one with a body due to the position in which it is, that is, if it is in height it has more potential energy than another that is on the surface, so it indicates the energy it has in power.
If you want to read more articles similar to What is kinetic energy and examples, we recommend that you enter our category of Renewable Energies.
