6.2 The student will investigate and understand basic sources of energy, their origins, transformations, and uses.
Key concepts include
a) potential and kinetic energy;
b) the role of the sun in the formation of most energy sources on Earth;
c) nonrenewable energy sources;
d) renewable energy sources;
e) energy transformations.
6.3 The student will investigate and understand the role of solar energy in driving most natural processes within the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, and on Earth’s surface.
Key concepts include
a) Earth’s energy budget
; b) the role of radiation and convection in the distribution of energy;
c) the motion of the atmosphere and the oceans;
d) cloud formation;
e) the role of thermal energy in weather-related phenomena including thunderstorms and hurricanes.