When you rub your hands together and it gets warm is it because of potential energy?

Question

When you rub your hands together and it gets warm is it because of potential energy?

Answer 1

No.

You're converting the chemical energy in your body to kinetic energy in your arms and hands to heat (another form of energy) from the friction of your hands rubbing together.  The heat is due to the molecules in your hand moving faster (increased kinetic energy).

Technically the chemical energy stored in your body is a type of potential energy, so it depends on exactly what you're asking.

Answer 2

the potential energy is converted into heat and mechanical energy.  it's mainly friction.

Answer 3

friction meets body heat

Answer 4

Friction, primarily.

Answer 5

No, it's the friction between your hands and also increased blood circulation.

Answer 6

No. Potential energy is stored in one form or another, like a rock on a hilltop. Rubbing your hands together is an ACTION which creates FRICTION. It's a dynamic process.

Answer 7

Friction.

Answer 8

friction!

Answer 9

It is a RESULT of potential energy being converted to mechanical energy which is converted to heat, so, yes, it is.

The energy stored in the sugars and protiens that the body metabolizes is called chemical potential energy.  This is where the energy to rub your hands together comes from.

Answer 10

Yes it is friction, but I think you are looking more along the lines of a chemistry related answer. In that case it would be kinetic energy and thermal energy due to the fact that it is releasing heat.

Answer 11

Kinetic energy is energy of motion. The motion of your hands is converted to heat (which is just random kinetic energy of each molecule in your hands). So it is because of kinetic energy, not potential energy.