The energy associated with an object's motion is called?

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

Answer: (C)

Energy tied to motion is called kinetic energy. It increases with both mass and speed, described by KE = 1/2 m v^2, so heavier objects moving faster have more of this energy. This differs from potential energy, which is stored due to position (like a book held above a shelf or a stretched spring). Thermal energy is related to temperature and the microscopic motion of particles, not the macroscopic motion of a single object. Nuclear energy comes from interactions inside the atomic nucleus. A moving object can transfer its kinetic energy to other forms, such as heat or work, when it slows down or collides.