What's the Difference Between A Ghost and Poltergeist?

From a visitor in PA 8-03-03
What is the difference between a ghost and a poltergeist?

RESPONSE:

Poltergeist is a German word for "noisy ghost." This type of ghost makes its presence known by knocking on doors, walls, breaking objects, making objects disappear then reappear, making objects float through the air, making noises and a variety of other disruptive things to draw attention to itself. Generally speaking a poltergeist will not harm people. Poltergeist tend to occur when children are present in the household that are either very young or in their teen years.

There are two types of poltergeists. One is the poltergeist that is directly tied to a ghostly spirit; meaning an entity that has crossed over to the other side. The second is the non-entity poltergeist. This type of poltergeist is directly tied to a child entering puberty and the energies they put out causes the effects of poltergeist activities, yet is directly generated by the child and not a spirit. This type of poltergeist will disappear soon after the hormonal activities of the child settles down and reaches a leveling out pattern.

A ghost, also known as a specter, spirit, or apparition is the essence of the life of someone who has died physically. In short it is their soul, which lives on after physical death.