The energy an object has due to its motion.

• A. Potential energy
• B. Thermal energy
• C. Kinetic energy
• D. Chemical energy

Answer: (C)

Energy due to motion is kinetic energy. It depends on how much mass the object has and how fast it’s moving, with the common relationship expressed as E = 1/2 m v^2. This means increasing either mass or speed increases the energy of motion, and doubling the speed (with the same mass) increases the energy by a factor of four. If the object’s height changes, energy can shift to potential energy, which is energy stored because of position. Thermal energy relates to the temperature of a substance and the microscopic motion of its particles, not the motion of the object as a whole. Chemical energy is stored in chemical bonds and released during reactions. So the energy an object has due to its motion is kinetic energy.