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iliya1 iliya1
wrote...
11 years ago
If a ball is sitting on the ground, would it have no potential energy, maximum potential energy, or something else? Would it have no kinetic energy or maximum kinetic energy?
I'm assuming it has none of both because it's just sitting there stationary.
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wrote...
11 years ago
If a ball is sitting on the ground, it has no potential energy (with the exception of the potential energy that is inherent to every atom.....but I'm assuming this is referring to gravitational potential energy).

To have maximum potential energy, it would have to be at a high location.

Kinetic energy is energy of motion.  If the ball is sitting there, it has no kinetic energy.
wrote...
11 years ago
Potential energy is computed with respect to some other location, perhaps with a different elevation. For instance the ball could have positive potential energy with respect to the floor of a nearby basement. But for most cases, you would say it has no potential energy.

Its kinetic energy would generally be considered zero if it's just sitting stationary.

Caution, this is an unusual way to look at it: But if you're observing it from a reference system that's moving with respect to the ball, then as measured from that reference system, it has kinetic energy. If you're observing it from a moving car, and it's a big exercize ball, and it hits the car, the ball has kinetic energy that could damage the car.
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