What is the difference between potential energy and kinetic energy?

Potential energy is the energy possessed by a body due to its position or its configuration Kinetic energy is the energy possessed by the body due to its motion.

Potential energy is independent of the speed of the body whereas Kinetic energy is directly proportional to the square of the velocity of the moving body.


E.g., a rock sitting at the edge of a cliff has potential energy


E.g., a rock falling from a cliff has kinetic energy


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