Types of Energy

Energy is…..
Energy is the power or ability to make this happen. It
makes change possible. Scientists define Energy as
the ability to do work. Energy can neither be created
nor destroyed.
Turn to your neighbor and share ways you see energy used
everyday….

Energy is what makes cars move and airplanes fly!

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Law of Conservation
Law of Conservation of energy states that energy CAN change
from one type to another. Energy CANNOT be destroyed, lost,
or disappear.

Think of an example where energy changes from one type to

another.
Kinetic Energy
All moving things have kinetic energy. It is energy possessed by an
object due to its motion or movement. These include very large things,
like planets, and very small ones, like atoms. The heavier a thing is,
and the faster it moves, the more kinetic energy it has.

Temperature is the measurement of kinetic energy.

*Ball experiment*
Potential and Gravitational Energy
Note the following:

1. Both balls had potential energy as they rested on the table.

2. By resting up on a high table, they also had gravitational energy.

3. By moving and falling off the table (movement), potential and

gravitational energy changed to Kinetic Energy. Can you guess which
of the balls had more kinetic energy?

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gravitational-energy.html
Chemical energy
Definition: energy stored in the form of chemical bonds

Chemical Energy is energy stored in the bonds of chemical

compounds (atoms and molecules). It is released in a chemical
reaction, often producing heat as a by product (exothermic
reaction). Batteries, biomass, petroleum, natural gas, and coal are
examples of stored chemical energy. Usually, once chemical energy
is released from a substance, that substance is transformed into an
entirely new substance.

For example, when an explosive goes off, chemical energy stored in

it is transferred to the surroundings as thermal energy, sound
energy and kinetic energy. The dry wood is a store of chemical
energy. As it burns in the fireplace, chemical energy is released and
converted to thermal energy (heat) and light energy. Notice that the
wood now turns into ashes (a new substance)
Chemical energy Cont
Food is also a good example of stored chemical energy. This energy is released during
digestion. Molecules in our food are broken down into smaller pieces. As the bonds between
these atoms loosen or break, a chemical reaction will occur, and new compounds are
created. When the bonds break or loosen, oxidation occurs almost instantly.
A chemical reaction is involved in this breakdown. The energy produced keeps us warm,
maintain and repair bodies, and makes us able to move about. Different foods store different
amounts of energy. Energy in food is measured in kilocalories (or Calories).

Turn to your
neighbor and
give some
examples of
chemical
energy
Mechanical Energy
Definition: energy related to motion and movement
Mechanical energy is often confused with Kinetic and Potential Energy. We will try to make it very easy
to understand and know the difference. Before that we need to understand the word ‘Work’.

‘Work’ is done when a force acts on an object to cause it to move, change shape, displace, or do
something physical. For, example, if I push a door open for my pet dog to walk in, work is done on the door
(by causing it to open). But what kind of force caused the door to open? Here is where Mechanical Energy
comes in.

Mechanical energy is the sum of kinetic and potential energy in an object that is used to do work. In
other words, it is energy in an object due to its motion or position, or both. In the 'open door' example
above, I possess potential chemical energy (energy stored in me), and by lifting my hands to push the
door, my action also had kinetic energy (energy in the motion of my hands). By pushing the door, my
potential and kinetic energy was transferred into mechanical energy, which caused work to be done (door
opened). Here, the door gained mechanical energy, which caused the door to be displaced temporarily.
Note that for work to be done, an object has to supply a force for another object to be displaced.

*Do Example*
Mechanical Energy Cont
(1) The iron hammer on its own, has no kinetic energy, but it has some potential energy (because of its weight).

(2) To drive a nail into the piece of wood (which is work), he has to lift the iron hammer up, (this increases its potential
energy because if its high position).

(3) And force it to move at great speed downwards (now has kinetic energy) to hit the nail.

The sum of the potential and kinetic energy that the hammer acquired to drive in the nail is called the Mechanical energy,
which resulted in the work done.
Heat Energy
Definition: energy transferred by collision of particles.

We will have an entire unit on this form of energy

Electrical Energy
Definition Stream of electrons moving

through a substance

Diagram of an atom

Matter is made up of atoms. In these atoms, there are some even small stuff called
electrons that are constantly moving. The movement of these electrons depend on how
much energy is has. This means every object has potential energy, even though some
have more than others.
Electrical Energy Cont.
Humans can force these moving electrons along a path from one place to the other. There are special
mediums (materials) called conductors, that carry this energy. Some materials cannot carry energy in this
form, and they are called insulators. We generate electrical energy whey we succeed to cause the these
electrons to move from one atom to the other, with the use of magnetic forces. Once we harness electrical
energy, it can be used for work or stored. How does an elctric current work? A battery transfers stored
chemical energy as charged particles called electrons, typically moving through a wire. For example,
electrical energy is transferred to the surroundings by the lamp as light energy and thermal (heat) energy.
Lightning is one good example of electrical energy in nature, so powerful that it is not confined to a wire.
Thunderclouds build up large amounts of electrical energy. This is called static electricity. They are released
during lightning when the clouds strike against

each other.
Wave Energy
Definition energy transmitted by a disturbance in space.
 Sound Energy
Sound is the movement of energy through substances in longitudinal (compression/rarefaction) waves. Sound is produced
when a force causes an object or substance to vibrate — the energy is transferred through the substance in a wave.
Typically, the energy in sound is far less than other forms of energy.

A vibrating drum in a disco transfers energy to the room as sound. Kinetic energy from the moving air molecules transfers
the sound energy to the dancers eardrums. Notice that Kinetic (movement) energy in the sticks are being transferred into
sound energy. Sound vibrations create sound waves which move through mediums such as air and water before reaching
our ears.

Sound energy is usually measured by its pressure and intensity, in special units called pascals and decibels. Sometimes,
loud noise can cause pain to people. This is called the threshold of pain. This threshold is different from person to person.
For example, teens can handle a lot higher sound pressure than elderly people, or people who work in factories tend to
have a higher threshold pressure,

because they get used to loud noise

in the factories.
Nuclear Energy
Definition energy produced by fusion or fission.