Science - ENERGY - Mechanical Energy

​Mechanical energy is the energy of motion. What is motion? Mr. Ted drove his Jeep from his house to a trail. He and his Jeep changed position from the house to the trail. Both objects moved. Movement is a change in position. While the objects are changing position, they are moving, or in motion. Because the Jeep’s engine caused that motion, the Jeep had mechanical energy. Then, when Mr. Ted got to the trail, he took his bike off the back of the Jeep, and rode the bike down the trail. The action of pedaling the bike caused its motion. The bike had mechanical energy because it was in motion and was powered by pedaling.

​In examples of mechanical energy, we are going to look for easily recognizable sources of power for the motion that is happening. Ask, is there a machine or engine powering this motion? If there is, then it is an example mechanical energy. Is there a person doing an action that powers this motion? If there is, it is mechanical energy. For example, if the hands of the clock in your classroom are in motion, there is a battery powering a small motor, which moves the hand of the clock. Because there is a motor powering the hands, this is an example of mechanical energy.

​Cars, busses, trucks, planes, trains, and boats all use some form of mechanical energy when moving. Many of those things use engines to move. They are all examples of mechanical energy. If a boat has a motor, or someone is rowing or paddling the boat, then it has mechanical energy. Can you think of other examples of mechanical energy around you?