Understanding Kinetic, Potential, and Mechanical Energy: A Comprehensive Guide Understanding Kinetic, Potential, and Mechanical Energy: A Comprehensive Guide Energy is a fundamental concept in physics, playing a crucial role in understanding how objects move and interact. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore three important types of energy: kinetic energy, potential energy, and mechanical energy. We'll dive into their definitions, formulas, and real-world applications, complete with illustrative examples and practice problems. 1. Kinetic Energy Kinetic energy is the energy possessed by an object due to its motion. It depends on both the object's mass and its velocity. Formula: KE = ½ mv² Where: KE = Kinetic Energy (measured in Joules, J) m = mass of the object (in kilograms, kg) v = velocity of the object (in meters per second, m/s)