Final answer:
Potential energy is the stored energy in an object due to its position or condition, while kinetic energy is the energy that an object possesses because of its motion. These energy types are essential in understanding the conservational transformation of energy from one form to another, such as in a hydroelectric dam where potential energy converts into kinetic energy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept of energy in physics includes two important forms: potential energy and kinetic energy. Potential energy is the energy stored in an object due to its position, composition, or condition; it represents the potential for doing work. For instance, water at the top of a dam has potential energy because of its elevated position. On the other hand, kinetic energy is the energy of motion. An object in movement, such as a rolling ball, possesses kinetic energy. This energy is directly related to the mass of the object and the square of its velocity.
The understanding of potential and kinetic energy is foundational in energy conservation. Energy can be neither created nor destroyed, but it can change from one form to another. This concept is part of the conservation of energy or the first law of thermodynamics.