Physical Science Name/Date ___________________________

Kinetic and Potential Energy Practice Problems

Classify the following as a type of potential energy or kinetic energy (use the letters K or P)

1. A bicyclist pedaling up a hill _____ 2. An archer with his bow drawn _____

3. A volleyball player spiking a ball _____ 4. A baseball thrown to second base _____

5. The chemical bonds in sugar _____ 6. The wind blowing through your hair _____

7. Walking down the street _____ 8. Sitting in the top of a tree _____

9. A bowling ball rolling down the alley _____ 10. A bowling ball sitting on the rack _____

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What can you find in your home that are examples of kinetic and potential energy?

11. Kinetic: __________________________________________________________________________

12. Kinetic: __________________________________________________________________________

13. Potential: _________________________________________________________________________

14. Potential: _________________________________________________________________________

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Solve the following word problems using the kinetic and potential energy formulas

PE = mgh KE = ½ mv2

15. Determine the kinetic energy of a 1000-kg roller coaster car that is moving with a speed of 20.0 m/s.
KE= ½ mv^2
V= 20.0m/s
M= 1000kg
KE= ½ mv^2= ½ (1000kg)(20.0m/s)=10,000kg m^2/s^2 or joules

16. If the roller coaster car in the above problem were moving with twice the speed, then what would be its
new kinetic energy?
KE= ½ mv2
V= 20.0m/s x 2= 40m/s
M= 1000kg
KE= ½ mv2= ½ (1000kg)(40m/s)=20,000kg m2/s2 or joules

17. (ALGEBRA CHALLENGE) Missy Diwater, the former platform diver for the Ringling Brother's Circus had a
kinetic energy of 15,000 J just prior to hitting the bucket of water. If Missy's mass is 50 kg, then what is her
speed?
KE= 15000J
M=50
V=?
V= 15000 J = ½ (50)v2 =15000 J/25 = 25v2/25 = (square root of )600= (square root of) v2 = 24.49=v
V=24.5m/s
18. A cart is loaded with a brick and pulled at constant speed along an inclined plane to the height of a seat-
top. If the mass of the loaded cart is 3.0 kg and the height of the seat top is 0.45 meters, then what is the
potential energy of the loaded cart at the height of the seat-top?
PE= mgh
M=3.0kg
H=0.45m
G= 9.8m/s2
PE= 13.23J

19. A 75-kg piano is hoisted on a crane and delivered through the window of a 6th-story apartment (20
meters above the ground). What is the potential energy of the piano?
PE= mgh
M=75kg
H=20m
G= 9.8m/s2
PE= 14,700J

20. (ALGEBRA CHALLENGE) The potential energy of a 40-kg cannon ball is 14000 J. How high was the
cannon ball to have this much potential energy?
PE= 14000kg m2/s2 / J
M= 40kg
G= 9.6m/s3
H=?
H =PE/MG= 14000kg m2/s2 / (40kg) (9.6m/s3) = 35.71m