Elastic potential energy is Potential energy stored as a result of deformation of an elastic object, such

as the stretching of a spring. It is equal to the work done to stretch the spring, which depends upon the
spring constant k as well as the distance stretched.

Understanding Radiant Energy. Radiant energy is a form of kinetic energy. Kinetic energy refers to the
movement of the energy whether is is of atoms, molecules, waves, substances or objects. Other forms
of kinetic energy include thermal energy, sound, motion energy and electrical energy.

Everyday Examples of Radiant Energy

Virtually anything that has a temperature gives off radiant energy. Some examples of radiant
energy include: 

 The heat emitted from a campfire

 Emission of heat from a hot sidewalk
 X-rays give off radiant energy
 Microwaves utilize radiant energy
 Space heaters produce radiant energy
 Heat created by the body can be radiant energy
 Lighting fixtures
 Home heating units
 Fixtures that convert solar energy to heat
 Visible light
 Gamma rays
 Radio waves
 Electricity
 A surface heated by the sun converts the energy of the light into infrared energy which is
a form of radiant energy
 Cell phones utilize radiant energy to function
 Magnetic motor generators that utilize neodymium magnets create radiant energy
 Audio signals that come to home or cars via radio waves
 Ultraviolet light
  Infrared radiation
 The light emitted from a campfire
 The light generated from a light bulb
 A heated brake disc giving off heat
 The heat from a grill used for cooking
 Water can reflect or absorb radiant energy
 Soil can absorb radiant energy
 Light from the sun
 Heat emitted from a bunsen burner
 Heat from an overused computer
 Heat caused by friction
 Heat emitted from a dryer
 The heat generated by a light bulb
 Heat generated through reflection of visible light
 A window reflects radiant energy
 Heat created from a stove or oven
 Heat emitted from a washing machine

Understanding Radiant Energy

Radiant energy is a form of kinetic energy. Kinetic energy refers to the movement of the energy
whether is is of atoms, molecules, waves, substances or objects. Other forms of kinetic energy
include thermal energy, sound, motion energy and electrical energy. Without radiant energy, like
that from the sun, life on Earth would not be possible. 

Radiant energy is the result of a change in configuration of electrons. It can travel through any
substance including air, liquid, glass, and space. However, matter is not necessary for
transmission of radiant energy. Even in a vacuum environment, radiant energy can move.

Radiant energy moves in a straight line at a very high speed and can be absorbed, transmitted or
reflected. Radiant energy is reflected if the object receiving the energy cannot absorb it. If the
energy is only partially able to penetrate the object, then it is absorbed. The energy is transmitted
if an object cannot absorb it.

All of these examples help to better explain the important concept of radiant energy. 

Rotational energy or angular kinetic energy is kinetic energy due to the rotation of an object
and is part of its total kinetic energy. Looking at rotational energy separately around an object's
axis of rotation, the following dependence on the object's moment of inertia is observed:

where

is the angular velocity

is the moment of inertia around the axis of rotation
is the kinetic energy
The mechanical work required for / applied during rotation is the torque times the rotation angle.
The instantaneous power of an angularly accelerating body is the torque times the angular
velocity. For free-floating (unattached) objects, the axis of rotation is commonly around its
center of mass.

Note the close relationship between the result for rotational energy and the energy held by linear
(or translational) motion:

In the rotating system, the moment of inertia, I, takes the role of the mass, m, and the angular
velocity, , takes the role of the linear velocity, v. The rotational energy of a rolling cylinder
varies from one half of the translational energy (if it is massive) to the same as the translational
energy (if it is hollow).

An example is the calculation of the rotational kinetic energy of the Earth. As the Earth has a
period of about 23.93 hours, it has an angular velocity of 7.29×10−5 rad/s. The Earth has a
moment of inertia, I = 8.04×1037 kg·m2.[1] Therefore, it has a rotational kinetic energy of
2.138×1029 J.

Another example of actually using earth's rotational energy is the locating of opportune
spaceports. The European spaceport in French Guiana (on S. American continent). <Wiki:
Guiana Space Centre>. This is within about 5 degrees of the equator, so space rocket launches
(for primarily geo-stationary satellites) from here to the east obtain nearly all of the full
rotational speed of the earth at the equator (about 1,000 mph, sort of a "sling-shot benefit).
Rocket launches easterly from Kennedy (USA) on the other hand obtain only about 400 mph
added benefit <Wikipedia/Guiana Space Centre>, due to the lower relative rotational speed of
the earth at that northerly latitude. This saves significant rocket fuel per launch, so this tends to
be a relatively more economic spaceport.

Part of the earth's rotational energy can also be tapped using tidal power. Additional friction of
the two global tidal waves creates energy in a physical manner, infinitesimally slowing down
Earth's angular velocity ω. Due to the conservation of angular momentum, this process transfers
angular momentum to the Moon's orbital motion, increasing its distance from Earth and its
orbital period (see tidal locking for a more detailed explanation of this process).

The thermal energy of an object or system consists of the portion of its internal energy that is
responsible for the temperature of the system and is involved in heat transfer. It can also be
called the thermal kinetic energy.

The internal energy of a system is the total thermal kinetic energy and thermal potential energy
of all its atoms and molecules. The Kinetic Theory of Matter is explains the kinetic energy of
particles in an object. Kinetic energy can be translational, rotational, or vibrational. The kinetic
energy of an atom can influence the kinetic energy of other atoms.

Temperature is an approximate measure of the average kinetic energy of the atoms and
molecules of an object. Heating is the transfer of thermal energy between objects due to their
temperature difference.
Sound energy is a form of energy associated with the vibration of matter. The SI unit of sound
energy is the joule (J). Sound is a mechanical wave and as such consists physically in oscillatory
elastic compression and in oscillatory displacement of a fluid. Therefore, the medium acts as
storage for both potential and kinetic energy as well.[1]

Consequently, the sound energy in a volume of interest is defined as the sum of the potential and
kinetic energy densities integrated over that volume:

where

 V is the volume of interest;

 p is the sound pressure;
 v is the particle velocity;
 ρ0 is the density of the medium without sound present;
 ρ is the local density of the medium;
 c is the speed of sound.

Electric energy is the energy created by electrons moving through an electrical conductor. The world is
made of matter. All matter contains atoms that contain electrons that are always moving. When
electrons are forced down a conductive path, such as a wire, the movement produces electricity, or
electric energy.