What is the term used for energy that results from the motion of an object?

The term used for energy that results from the motion of an object is kinetic energy. This form of energy is directly related to the velocity and mass of the moving object; in fact, it can be described mathematically by the equation KE = 1/2 mv², where "m" is the mass and "v" is the velocity.

Kinetic energy is fundamental in various physical processes, as it describes how energy is manifested in moving objects, whether it's a car driving down the road or a ball being thrown. Understanding kinetic energy is crucial in fields such as physics and engineering, where the motion of objects is often analyzed in terms of energy for applications ranging from machinery design to vehicle safety assessments.

In contrast, thermal energy refers to the energy that comes from the temperature of an object, potential energy is the energy stored in an object due to its position or arrangement (such as a book on a shelf), and elastic energy is the potential stored in elastic materials as the result of their stretching or compressing. These terms relate to different energy types and mechanisms, but only kinetic energy pertains specifically to energy arising from motion.