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Quizzes > Science

Potential vs Kinetic Energy Quiz: Color-by-Number Practice

Quick, 20-question check to identify kinetic or potential energy. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Moses IsiyeUpdated Aug 24, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
Grade: Grade 5
Study OutcomesCheat Sheet
Colorful paper art promoting a high school level physics quiz called Color Your Energy

This quiz helps you practice potential vs kinetic energy with 20 quick, color-by-number questions. You will spot when energy is stored or in motion and get instant feedback to see what to review before a test. For related practice, explore the energy transformations quiz and the forces and motion quiz.

Which of the following best defines potential energy?
Energy stored due to an object's position or state.
Energy in motion.
Energy produced by moving objects.
Energy lost as heat.
Potential energy is the energy stored in an object because of its position or state. It can be converted into other forms of energy, such as kinetic energy, when the conditions change.
Which of the following equations represents kinetic energy?
KE = m Ã- v
KE = v² / 2
KE = 1/2 m v²
PE = mgh
Kinetic energy is given by the formula KE = 1/2 m v², where m represents mass and v represents velocity. This equation shows that kinetic energy depends on both the mass of the object and the square of its speed.
Which energy form does a moving car primarily possess?
Kinetic energy
Thermal energy
Gravitational potential energy
Elastic potential energy
A moving car has energy due to its motion, which is defined as kinetic energy. Although other forms of energy may be present in the system, the energy associated with movement is kinetic energy.
What energy conversion occurs when a ball is dropped from a height?
Kinetic energy converts to potential energy.
Gravitational potential energy converts to kinetic energy.
Thermal energy converts to kinetic energy.
Chemical energy converts to potential energy.
When a ball is dropped, the energy stored due to its height (gravitational potential energy) is converted into kinetic energy as it accelerates toward the ground. This energy transformation is a basic example of energy conversion in physics.
Which factors affect gravitational potential energy?
Mass and height
Speed and time
Height and shape
Mass and speed
Gravitational potential energy depends on the mass of the object and its height above a reference point, as shown by the formula PE = mgh. Changes in either mass or height will directly affect the amount of potential energy stored.
Doubling the height of an object (while keeping mass constant) will have what effect on its gravitational potential energy?
It will quadruple the gravitational potential energy.
It will double the gravitational potential energy.
It will not change the gravitational potential energy.
It will increase the energy by 50%.
Gravitational potential energy is calculated using the formula PE = mgh, which shows a direct proportionality with height. Therefore, doubling the height will double the gravitational potential energy.
An object with a mass of 5 kg is raised to a height of 10 m above the ground. Assuming g = 9.8 m/s², what is its gravitational potential energy?
490 Joules
98 Joules
50 Joules
4900 Joules
The gravitational potential energy can be calculated using the formula PE = mgh. Substituting the given values, 5 kg Ã- 9.8 m/s² Ã- 10 m, results in approximately 490 Joules.
If an object's kinetic energy is quadrupled, what factor does its velocity change by?
The velocity doubles.
The velocity increases by a factor of √2.
There is no change in velocity.
The velocity quadruples.
Kinetic energy is defined by the equation KE = 1/2 m v². When kinetic energy is quadrupled, the square of the velocity must also quadruple, which means the velocity itself doubles. This is a direct result of the quadratic relationship between kinetic energy and velocity.
Which statement best describes the law of conservation of energy in a closed system?
Energy can be transformed from one form to another, but the total energy remains constant.
Energy is lost during conversion, resulting in a decrease in total energy.
Energy increases when potential energy converts to kinetic energy.
Energy is created and destroyed constantly in processes.
The law of conservation of energy states that within a closed system, energy is neither created nor destroyed. Instead, it only changes forms, ensuring that the total amount of energy remains constant throughout the process.
At which point in a roller coaster's journey is its kinetic energy greatest?
At the start of the ride when the train begins moving slowly.
At the bottom of a hill where the speed peaks.
At the top of a hill where its height is maximum.
While the car is at rest at the station.
Kinetic energy is directly related to the speed of an object. Since speed is highest at the bottom of a hill due to gravitational acceleration, the kinetic energy of the roller coaster is at its maximum at that point.
How do elastic potential energy and gravitational potential energy differ?
There is no difference; they are two names for the same concept.
Elastic potential energy is stored due to deformation of objects, while gravitational potential energy is stored due to an object's position.
Elastic potential energy is related to mass, and gravitational energy to temperature.
Both energies depend solely on the height of the object.
Elastic potential energy arises when an elastic object, such as a spring, is stretched or compressed. In contrast, gravitational potential energy depends on the mass of an object and its height relative to a reference point.
What happens to the kinetic energy when a moving object collides with a wall and comes to a stop?
It increases as the collision causes molecular vibrations.
It converts entirely into gravitational potential energy.
It is dissipated as heat and sound during the collision.
It remains stored in the object even though it stops.
When a moving object collides and comes to a stop, its kinetic energy is not lost but transformed into other forms, such as heat, sound, and deformation energy. This phenomenon complies with the conservation of energy principle in real-world collisions.
Which of the following scenarios illustrates the transformation of chemical energy into kinetic energy?
A book resting on a shelf.
A battery storing electrical energy.
Water boiling in a kettle.
A car engine converting fuel into motion.
In a car engine, the chemical energy stored in fuel is converted into kinetic energy, which propels the vehicle forward. This is a clear example of energy transformation from a stored chemical form to motion.
Kinetic energy is proportional to the square of velocity. If the velocity of an object is tripled, its kinetic energy increases by what factor?
9 times greater.
6 times greater.
12 times greater.
3 times greater.
The kinetic energy formula is KE = 1/2 m v², meaning that kinetic energy increases with the square of velocity. Therefore, if velocity is tripled, you square that change (3²) to get a nine-fold increase in kinetic energy.
How does increasing the mass of an object, while keeping velocity constant, affect its kinetic energy?
The kinetic energy increases proportionally with mass.
The kinetic energy remains unchanged.
The kinetic energy decreases as mass increases.
The kinetic energy increases with the square of the mass.
Kinetic energy is directly proportional to an object's mass when velocity is constant. As mass increases, the kinetic energy increases in a linear relationship, highlighting the direct connection between mass and energy in motion.
During a pendulum's swing, at which point is its gravitational potential energy at its maximum?
At the lowest point of its path.
When it is moving fastest.
At the endpoints of its swing.
Halfway between the endpoints and the center.
A pendulum reaches its maximum gravitational potential energy at the endpoints of its swing, where its height relative to the lowest point is greatest. At these endpoints, the energy is stored as potential energy, which then converts to kinetic energy as the pendulum swings down.
In a frictionless roller coaster system, which statement best explains the interplay between kinetic and gravitational potential energy throughout the ride?
Both energies are entirely converted into heat at the bottom of the track.
Their values fluctuate randomly without any predictable pattern.
Both kinetic and potential energy continuously increase.
As one increases, the other decreases such that their sum remains constant.
In a frictionless system, the total mechanical energy (the sum of kinetic and gravitational potential energy) remains constant. As a roller coaster ascends, potential energy increases while kinetic energy decreases, and the reverse occurs during the descent.
What is the correct formula for the elastic potential energy stored in a compressed or stretched spring?
1/2 k x²
k x²
1/2 k x
k x
The elastic potential energy in a spring is calculated using the formula PE = 1/2 k x², where k is the spring constant and x is the displacement from the equilibrium position. This quadratic relationship indicates that even small displacements can store a significant amount of energy.
Which scenario would indicate a violation of the conservation of energy principle in a closed system?
A compressed spring releasing its stored energy to propel an object.
A moving object abruptly increasing its speed without any applied force or energy input.
A pendulum gradually slowing down due to air resistance.
A battery discharging to power a light bulb.
In a closed system, energy must be conserved and cannot inexplicably increase without an external input. An object that suddenly accelerates without any net energy addition defies the conservation of energy principle.
When a ball bounces and reaches a lower height than its starting point, what is the most likely explanation for the energy difference?
The ball loses mass, resulting in lower potential energy.
The gravitational force decreases after each bounce.
Some mechanical energy is transformed into thermal energy and sound during impact.
Kinetic energy is permanently stored within the ball.
In a bouncing ball, not all mechanical energy remains as kinetic or potential energy after the impact. Some of the energy is dissipated as thermal energy, sound, and deformation energy, which is why the ball fails to reach its original height.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand the difference between potential and kinetic energy.
  2. Analyze energy transformations within physical systems.
  3. Apply energy conservation principles to solve problems.
  4. Interpret color-coded diagrams representing energy states.
  5. Evaluate scenarios to predict energy changes in dynamic systems.

Color by Number: Potential/Kinetic Energy Answers Cheat Sheet

  1. Difference between potential and kinetic energy - Potential energy is a sneaky storage of oomph based on an object's position or state, while kinetic energy is that oomph released as motion! For example, a hammer held high has potential energy just waiting to drop, and when it falls it transforms into its speedy kinetic cousin. Perfect for picturing how energy swaps its form in an instant.
  2. Gravitational potential energy formula - The golden rule is PE = mgh, where mass, gravity, and height team up to calculate how much energy is stored. Plug in mass (in kg), gravity (9.8 m/s²), and height (in meters) to see how high an object can climb in energy terms. This helps you predict energy storage before it's unleashed!
  3. Kinetic energy formula - Dive into KE = ½ mv² to discover that your speed has a supercharged effect on energy: doubling your velocity quadruples your kinetic punch. Mass is important, but that v² term shows why racers and rockets pack such a punch! Use this formula to calculate the energy of anything zooming around.
  4. Energy transformation - Energy isn't shy; it loves to change costumes! Potential can morph into kinetic and back again - think of water behind a dam sitting with stored power, then rushing down turbines to generate electricity. It's like a superhero switching identities to save the day in physics labs and power plants alike.
  5. Potential energy examples - Spot different flavors of stored energy: a stretched rubber band showing elastic potential, water behind a dam boasting gravitational potential, and a charged battery holding chemical potential. These real-world cases make it easy to remember how energy patiently waits for its moment of action.
  6. Kinetic energy examples - Witness motion in action: a speeding car, a diving ball, or a waterfall crashing below all showcase kinetic energy doing its thing. The faster or heavier the object, the more energy it flaunts in movement!
  7. Work‑energy theorem - This rule says the work you do on an object shows up as its change in kinetic energy - push, pull, and the energy transfer is measurable! It ties together force, distance, and speed changes in one neat package. Use it to connect a shove's effort to your skateboard's speed boost.
  8. Problem‑solving practice - Sharpen your skills by calculating, say, the speed of a dropped object from a known height using energy conservation. Mixing theory and numbers builds confidence and prepares you for tricky test questions. So grab your calculator and test those formulas!
  9. Elastic potential energy - Springs and rubber bands hold back energy like coiled-up surprises, measured by PE = ½ kx² (k is spring constant, x is stretch). The stiffer the spring or the more you stretch it, the bigger the energy stash! Essential for understanding everything from trampolines to shock absorbers.
  10. Conservation of mechanical energy - If only gravity (a conservative force) is in play, total mechanical energy (kinetic + potential) stays the same forever - like an energy credit that never expires! This principle underpins roller coaster thrills and planet orbits. Master it to predict motion without messy friction details.
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