Which type of energy is typically associated with stored energy in a system?

Potential energy is the type of energy that is associated with the stored energy in a system. It represents the energy held by an object due to its position relative to other objects, its internal stresses, or its electric charge. For example, a rock perched at the top of a hill has potential energy because of its elevated position, which could be converted to kinetic energy (energy of motion) if the rock were to fall.

In various systems, potential energy can take many forms such as gravitational potential energy, elastic potential energy in springs, and chemical potential energy in molecular bonds. This stored energy is crucial for understanding not only how systems function but also how energy is converted from one form to another during various processes.

Kinetic energy, on the other hand, refers to the energy of motion and is not stored energy. Mechanical energy encompasses both kinetic and potential energy within a mechanical system, while thermal energy relates to the temperature and motion of particles within a system, rather than being a form of stored energy like potential energy.