Forms of Mechanical Energy
Mechanical Energy
* The sum of the kinetic, potential, and rotational energies of a system.
ME = KE + PE + RE
*The mechanical energy does not include any internal energy associated with the structure of the system. It also excludes any thermal energy in the system.
| Kinetic Energy |
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* Energy due to an object's state of linear motion.
* The minimum Work needed to get an object of mass m moving at a speed v --starting from rest.
| Rotational Energy |
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* Energy due to an object's state of rotational motion.
* The minimum Work needed to get an object with a moment of inertia I rotating at an angular velocity w - starting from rest.
Potential Energy
* The Work needed to change a system from one state of equilibrium to another state of equilibrium.
* Potential Energy is Stored Energy.
GRAVITY:
Work needed to change an object's height relative to the Earth.
SPRING:
Work needed to compress or stretch a spring.
PRESSURE:
Work needed to change the volume of a Solid, Liquid, or Gas.
ATOMIC: 
Work needed to split an atom up into its component parts.