Prime Movers

Prime Movers are things that convert energy into mechanical motion. They cause things to move. They can store energy and then release it, like winding up a spring and letting it go. They could burn a fuel to release the stored energy to cause motion, like a gasoline or jet engine. They could convert another form of energy into mechanical energy to cause something to move, like an electric motor.

Engines - Mechanical devises that consume a fuel in order to convert the energy into mechanical motion. Steam engines burn a fuel, often wood or coal, to product steam that pushed a piston. Internal combustion engines use gasoline, diesel, or natural gas to create a controlled explosion inside a cylinder that pushes a piston.

Motors - Mechanical devises that convert another form of energy, like electricity, into mechanical motion. Motors can also be powered by compressed air or liquids.

Piston,

Solenoid

Sources of Energy

Human Power

Human power is work or energy that is produced from the human body. It can also refer to the power (rate of work per time) of a human. Power comes primarily from muscles, but body heat is also used to do work like warming shelters, food, or other humans.

Animal Power

When an animal is used to pull a load it is termed Draft Animal Power

• Refining foods - flour milling etc
• Sawing timber
• Lifting construction loads
• Cartage of timber and supplies
• Ploughing and farming
• Pug mill for pottery preparation
• Bellows operation for metal casting furnace
• pumping, lifting winch, cartage etc.

Wind Power

power obtained by harnessing the energy of the wind.

Water Power

Power that is derived from the weight or motion of water, used as a force to drive machinery.

Fuels (chemical energy)

A material such as coal, gas, or oil that is burned to produce heat or power

Solar Power

power obtained by harnessing the energy of the sun's rays.

Nuclear Power

Nuclear power is the use of nuclear reactions that release nuclear energy to generate heat, which most frequently is then used in steam turbines to produce electricity in a nuclear power plant.