Kinetic energy is defined as what type of energy?

Kinetic energy is defined as the energy of motion. It is the energy that an object possesses due to its movement, which can be quantified using the formula ( KE = \frac{1}{2} mv^2 ), where ( m ) stands for mass and ( v ) represents velocity. This indicates that the greater the mass or the speed of the object, the more kinetic energy it has.

In contrast, the other options represent different forms of energy. For instance, energy stored in chemical bonds refers to potential energy that can be released during a chemical reaction. Energy due to position emphasizes potential energy, such as gravitational potential energy, where an object’s energy is related to its height above the ground. Thermal energy relates to the internal energy of a system due to the kinetic energy of its molecules, rather than the motion of a single object as whole. Hence, understanding kinetic energy as the energy associated with the motion of an object helps distinguish it from these other energy types.