Illustration showing forms of potential and kinetic energy. Potential energy is the stored energy in an object due to its position or configuration, for example, energy stored in a battery, an object attracted by gravity, energy in rocket fuel, in the strings of a tennis racquet, or an atomic nucleus. Kinetic energy is the energy which a body possesses by virtue of its motion, for example electrons in electric current, wind, electromagnetic radiation, thermal and sound energy. Most energy on Earth originates from the Sun.