Determine if each image illustrates kinetic or potential energy.

You're correct to be suspicious — the worksheet shown in the image has many incorrect answers marked. The goal is to determine whether each picture illustrates Kinetic Energy (energy of motion) or Potential Energy (stored energy due to position, condition, or composition).

Let’s go through each image one by one and explain the correct answer.

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🔹 Row 1

1. Tennis racket hitting a ball
→ The ball is *in motion* after being hit.
✔ Kinetic Energy

2. Gas pump
→ Gasoline contains *chemical potential energy* (stored energy that can be released when burned).
✘ Marked as Kinetic — Wrong!
✔ Potential Energy

3. Hamburger
→ Food contains *chemical potential energy* (energy stored in molecular bonds).
✘ Marked as Kinetic — Wrong!
✔ Potential Energy

4. Kids tossing a ball
→ The ball is *in motion* through the air.
✔ Kinetic Energy

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🔹 Row 2

5. Coal
→ Like gasoline and food, coal stores *chemical potential energy*.
✘ Marked as Kinetic — Wrong!
✔ Potential Energy

6. Bow and arrow (drawn)
→ The stretched bowstring stores *elastic potential energy*.
✘ Marked as Kinetic — Wrong!
✔ Potential Energy

7. Battery
→ Stores *chemical potential energy* to be converted to electrical energy.
✘ Marked as Kinetic — Wrong!
✔ Potential Energy

8. Inflated balloon with “Energy” written on it
→ Air under pressure stores *elastic/pressure potential energy*.
✘ Marked as Kinetic — Wrong!
✔ Potential Energy

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🔹 Row 3

9. Girl holding a ball on a ledge
→ The ball has *gravitational potential energy* due to its height.
✘ Marked as Kinetic — Wrong!
✔ Potential Energy

10. Cyclists going up/down a hill
→ They are *in motion*, so they have kinetic energy. Also, their position on the hill gives them potential energy — but since the image shows motion, kinetic is the better fit here.
✔ Kinetic Energy (Correctly marked)

11. Stretched spring
→ Stores *elastic potential energy*.
✘ Marked as Kinetic — Wrong!
✔ Potential Energy

12. Person holding a raised object (cane)
→ The object has *gravitational potential energy* due to height.
✘ Marked as Kinetic — Wrong!
✔ Potential Energy

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🔹 Row 4

13. Balloon floating? (or just sitting)
→ If it’s not moving, it’s storing potential energy (air pressure + possible gravitational if elevated). But even if floating, unless it’s moving, it’s not kinetic.
✘ Marked as Kinetic — Wrong!
✔ Potential Energy (Assuming it’s stationary or just filled with air under pressure)

14. Dynamite stick
→ Contains *chemical potential energy* (explosive material).
✘ Marked as Kinetic — Wrong!
✔ Potential Energy

15. Ball falling from a ledge
→ The ball is *in motion*, so it has kinetic energy. (It also loses potential energy as it falls.)
✔ Kinetic Energy (Correctly marked)

16. Man pushing cart downhill
→ The cart is *in motion*, so it has kinetic energy.
✔ Kinetic Energy (Correctly marked)

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## ✔ Final Correct Answers (by position):

| Image # | Correct Answer |
|---------|--------------------|
| 1 | Kinetic |
| 2 | Potential |
| 3 | Potential |
| 4 | Kinetic |
| 5 | Potential |
| 6 | Potential |
| 7 | Potential |
| 8 | Potential |
| 9 | Potential |
| 10 | Kinetic |
| 11 | Potential |
| 12 | Potential |
| 13 | Potential |
| 14 | Potential |
| 15 | Kinetic |
| 16 | Kinetic |

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## 📌 Key Takeaways:

- Kinetic Energy = energy of motion → things moving (running, falling, flying, rolling).
- Potential Energy = stored energy → due to position (height), state (stretched, compressed), or chemical composition (food, fuel, batteries).

The worksheet appears to be incorrectly graded — likely a mistake in the answer key. Many items labeled “Kinetic” should be “Potential.”

✔ You now know how to correctly identify each!

Let me know if you’d like a printable version or flashcards for studying this concept!