what is the difference between the average kinetic energy of an object and the total kinetic energy of an object?
If KE is changing, average is the average over time, and total is what it is at any particular time.
The difference between the average kinetic energy and the total kinetic energy of an object lies in the way they are calculated and the quantities they represent.
The average kinetic energy of an object is obtained by dividing the total kinetic energy of the object by the number of particles or components that make up the object. This average value represents the amount of kinetic energy per particle or component on average. To calculate the average kinetic energy, you need to know the individual kinetic energies of each particle or component and then sum them up, finally dividing by the total number of particles or components.
On the other hand, the total kinetic energy of an object is obtained by summing up the kinetic energies of all the particles or components that make up the object. It represents the overall energy associated with the motion of the entire object as a whole. To calculate the total kinetic energy, you need to know the mass or number of particles/components involved and their individual kinetic energies, and then sum them up without dividing.
In summary, the average kinetic energy represents the typical value of kinetic energy per particle or component, obtained by dividing the total kinetic energy by the number of particles/components. Meanwhile, the total kinetic energy represents the combined energy associated with the motion of all the particles or components without any division.