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The transfer of energy to an object by the application of a force that causes the object to move in the direction of the force.


A quantity that measures the rate at which work is done or energy is transferred.


A unit in the SI system used to express the amount of work or energy; equal to a N x M


A unit used in the U.S. customary system to express power; equal to 746 watts.


A unit used in the SI system to express the amount of power, equal to 1 Joule per second.


The capacity to do work.

Potential Energy

The energy due to the position, shape, or condition of an object.

Gravitational Potential Energy

The energy that an object has because of its height relative to the earth surface.

Kinetic Energy

Energy that an object has due to its motion.

Elastic Potential Energy

Energy that an object or system has due to the distortion in the volume and/or the shape of the material. Rubber bands and springs are good examples of objects that can have this type of energy.

Mechanical Energy

The sum of kinetic and potential energies.

Non mechanical Energy

Types of energy such as sound, light, and heat.

Law of Conservation of Energy

The total amount of energy in the universe never changes, although energy may change from one form to another.

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