Mechanical energy is the difference between the kinetic and potential energies of an object true or false?

No, it is the sum.

true

False. Mechanical energy is actually the sum of the kinetic energy and potential energy of an object.

To understand why, let's break down the concept of mechanical energy.

Kinetic energy is the energy of motion possessed by an object, and it depends on its mass and velocity. The formula for kinetic energy is KE = 1/2 * m * v^2, where m represents the mass of the object and v represents its velocity.

Potential energy, on the other hand, refers to the energy an object possesses due to its position or state. There are different types of potential energies, such as gravitational potential energy and elastic potential energy. Gravitational potential energy depends on an object's height and mass, while elastic potential energy depends on the displacement of an object in a spring or elastic material.

Now, if we consider both kinetic and potential energies, we can see that an object's overall mechanical energy is the sum of these two energies. Therefore, the correct statement would be that mechanical energy is the sum of the kinetic and potential energies of an object.