What is the difference between potential and kinetic energy?
Energy's Two Moods
What is the difference between potential and kinetic energy?
Energy is a sneaky thing. Sometimes it's busy doing something — zooming, falling, splashing. And sometimes it's just... sitting there, holding its breath, waiting for its big moment. Those two moods have names. Let's meet them.
Meet potential energy first. It's the patient one. Potential energy is stored-up energy — energy that hasn't done anything yet, but absolutely could. Think of a stretched rubber band, fingers pinching it back, just about to let go.
