Soorten kinetische energie

Kinetic energy itself also exists in different forms - namely mechanical, electrical, thermal, and radiant energies.

While mechanical energy is due to the mechanical movement of an object like a moving car, electrical energy is constituted by the flow of electric charges, as seen in lightning strikes. When kinetic energy is in the form of electromagnetic waves, such as the energy from sunlight, it is radiant energy.

Thermal energy is the kinetic energy associated with the motion of atoms and molecules in an object.  As the atoms and molecules within an object move or vibrate quickly and collide more frequently with each other, the temperature of the object increases. The heat from a burning flame is an example of thermal energy.

The opposite happens when the vibrations or motions of these atoms and molecules slow down. The object is then said to be cold and have low thermal energy - like when water freezes.