Which form of energy is characterized by an object in motion?

Kinetic energy is defined as the energy that an object possesses due to its motion. This type of energy is dependent on both the mass of the object and the speed at which it is moving, following the formula ( KE = \frac{1}{2}mv^2 ), where ( m ) is mass and ( v ) is velocity.

When an object is in motion, it can transfer kinetic energy to other objects upon collision, which is a fundamental principle in physics. By contrast, the other forms of energy referenced in the choices have different characteristics. For example, electrical energy relates to the movement of electrons and is not inherently tied to the motion of macroscopic objects. Potential energy involves stored energy based on an object's position or configuration, such as gravitational potential energy which depends on height. Sound energy is a type of mechanical wave energy that travels through a medium, but it is not solely defined by the motion of a single object.

Thus, kinetic energy remains the only choice that specifically describes energy associated with the motion of an object.