Potential Energy is the energy of:
A. Motion
B. Mass
C. Speed
D. Position
D. Position
The kinetic and potential energies of an object both always depend on which property?
The property that both kinetic and potential energies of an object always depend on is its mass.
The kinetic and potential energies of an object both always depend on which property?
A. mass of the object
B. volume of the object
C. relative position of the object
D. gravitational force of the object
A. mass of the object
D. Position
To determine the answer to this question, we need to understand the concept of potential energy and what it depends on.
Potential energy is the energy possessed by an object due to its position or condition. It is a form of stored energy that can be converted into other forms such as kinetic energy. The most common type of potential energy is gravitational potential energy, which depends on the height of an object above the ground.
Based on this understanding, we can now evaluate the options provided:
A. Motion: The energy associated with motion is known as kinetic energy, not potential energy. This option is incorrect.
B. Mass: The energy possessed by an object due to its mass is known as rest energy or mass-energy equivalence (E = mc²), represented by Albert Einstein's famous equation. However, potential energy is different and depends on the position or condition of the object, not its mass. Therefore, this option is also incorrect.
C. Speed: The energy associated with speed is again kinetic energy, not potential energy. This option is incorrect.
D. Position: Potential energy is the energy of an object due to its position or condition. As mentioned earlier, gravitational potential energy depends on the height or position of an object above the ground. Therefore, the correct answer is option D.
In summary, the correct answer is D. Potential energy is the energy of position.