In this page we will explore the difference between potential and kinetic energy, the difference between heat and temperature, and describe the relationship between mass and energy.
Heat vs. TemperatureWe often confuse the ideas of heat and temperature, but there is a subtle difference between the two that must be understood:
Energy-Mass RelationshipIn 1905, Albert Einstein published his work on special relativity and his famous equation that relates mass to energy. For the purpose of this class you should understand that this theory shows that energy can be converted to mass and mass can be converted to energy.
Click on the picture above to link to a wiki-page that attempts to explain the equation using pictures. If you want to learn more about this equation and how it was derived check out the Minute Physics video I have posted on my Weird Stuff page. |
Kinetic vs. Potential EnergyKinetic energy is the energy of an object due to the motion of the object; all moving things have kinetic energy.
Potential energy is the energy of an object due to the position of the object; an object that could be moved by gravity or a magnetic attraction or repulsion contains potential energy. Click on the picture above for a further breakdown of the difference between the two types of energy. Law of Conservation of EnergyThe law of conservation of energy simply states that:
Energy cannot be created nor destroyed. This gets a little tricky, however, when we consider Einstein's ground-breaking theory on the energy-mass relationship. |