Kinetic
/kɪˈnɛtɪk/
adjectiveB2
Definition
Kinetic means about movement or motion. When something is kinetic, it involves moving or causing movement. It is often used in science to talk about energy that something has because it is moving.
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See It in Action
Related to movement or motion
- •The sculpture has kinetic parts that move with the wind.
- •Kinetic energy increases as an object moves faster.
- •The dancer’s kinetic movements showed great skill.
Describing energy from moving objects
- •When the ball hits the ground, its kinetic energy changes to sound.
- •Scientists study kinetic energy to understand how things move.
- •The collision converted kinetic energy into heat.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "kinetic" like "moving," but used in more scientific or formal situations.
- ✓Picture a ball rolling down a hill—that ball has kinetic energy because it is moving.
- ✓It’s the feeling of excitement or energy you get when you run or dance.
- ✓Sounds like "kin-ET-ic" → Imagine a kid saying "Can it tick?" while watching a clock move—movement and time together.
- ✓Think of a car driving fast—kinetic means the energy the car has because it moves.
- ✓NOT like "static" (which means no movement), kinetic means things are moving or active.
- ✓NOT like "potential" energy (which is stored and waiting), kinetic energy is energy in action, moving right now.
- ✓NOT like "still" or "calm"—kinetic is about action and motion.
Try Other Words
- •Dynamic: full of energy and movement (Use when describing lively action or change, not only physical motion)
- •Motion-related: connected to movement (Use in simple explanations about movement)
- •Active: doing something or moving (Use when focusing on activity, not just physical movement)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "kine-" from Greek "kinesis" meaning movement + suffix "-tic" meaning related to
- •Etymology: From Greek, related to the idea of movement or motion
- •Historical development: Used in English since the early 19th century in physics to describe motion and energy
- •Modern usage: Common in science, art, and everyday speech to describe things involving or caused by movement
Reflect & Connect
•How does understanding kinetic energy help explain why moving objects can do work or cause change?
•Can you think of examples in your daily life where kinetic energy is important or visible?
Fill in the blanks
1.A moving car has kinetic energy because it is ___.
2.Kinetic energy is different from potential energy because it involves ___, not stored energy.
3.When the wind moves the leaves, the motion is an example of kinetic ___.
4.The sculpture’s kinetic parts ___ when the air blows.
5.Scientists measure kinetic energy to understand how fast or ___ an object is moving.
6.Without movement, an object has no kinetic ___.
7.The faster something moves, the more kinetic energy it ___.