2.3 Energy Changes During Chemical Reactions
Kinetic and Potential Energy Definitions
Kinetic energy is the energy due to movement
"Kinetic" means "moving." Hence, kinetic energy is the energy due to movement. A thrown ball, a rolling log, a flying atom, and the electrons orbiting the nucleus of an atom all have kinetic energy.
Potential Energy
Potential energy is stored energy, energy which can be converted into kinetic energy when the conditions are right.
A rock poised at the top of a hill has potential energy. Give it a push and it rolls downhill converting its potential energy to kinetic. The potential energy in the gasoline burned in an automobile engine is transformed partly into the motion of the car. Because the internal combustion engine is notoriously inefficient, much of the potential energy of the gasoline is converted into wasted heat energy, which is a form of kinetic energy.