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What is Energy
What is Energy
Energy is one of the most fundamental parts of our universe.
We use energy to do work. Energy lights our cities. Energy powers our vehicles, trains, planes and rockets. Energy warms our homes, cooks our food, plays our music, gives us pictures on television. Energy powers machinery in factories and tractors on a farm.
Energy from the sun gives us light during the day. It dries our clothes when they're hanging outside on a clothes line. It helps plants grow. Energy stored in plants is eaten by animals, giving them energy. And predator animals eat their prey, which gives the predator animal energy.
Everything we do is connected to energy in one form or another.
Definition of Energy
Definition of Energy
Energy is defined as:
"the ability to do work."
"the ability to do work."
Types of Energy
Types of Energy
In science we classify energy as either being potential energy or kinetic energy.
Let us take a brief look at these two types of energy.
Potential Energy:
Potential Energy:
The word potential simply means, stored. Potential energy is therefore simply energy waiting to be used/do work. We often call this stored energy, inactive energy.
Kinetic Energy:
Kinetic Energy:
When any object moves it has the ability to do work. The word kinetic is derived from the Greek work ‘kinena’ which means motion or movement. An example of kinetic energy is, the wind blowing, a car towing a trailer.
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FORMS OF ENERGY
FORMS OF ENERGY
Chemical potential energy:
Chemical potential energy:
All matter contains energy. The energy is locked away in the molecules and waits there to be ‘set off’.
Heat energy:
Heat energy:
When an object is hot, it generally radiates heat – light is usually radiated from the same source at the same time. When heat enters matter, it causes the atoms to move about more rapidly. This increased movement generates heat and causes the temperature to rise. Heated atoms require more room to move about. For this reason, liquids, gases and most solids expand when they are heated.
Light energy:
Light energy:
Light travels in the form of electromagnetic radiation. This means it travels in the form of a wave. Funny enough you cannot see most of light energy. We are only aware of the visible light.
Gravitational potential energy:
Gravitational potential energy:
This is, as the name suggests, stored energy. Lift up a brick. The brick has energy because of its new position. When you let it drop, it can do work for you!
Mechanical energy:
Mechanical energy:
The name suggests a machine! In most cases this is true, however mechanical energy is not limited to machines.
Electrical energy:
Electrical energy:
Not only do we have examples of electrical energy in nature, lightning, and static electricity, but man has been able to combine chemicals and produce electricity which is then stored in cells and batteries.
Nuclear energy:
Nuclear energy:
Another name for nuclear energy is atomic energy. Why? This energy is stored up in the nucleus of atoms and can be released with enormous consequences.
Sources of Energy:
Sources of Energy:
Fossil Fuels -- Coal, Oil and Natural Gas
Fossil Fuels -- Coal, Oil and Natural Gas
All forms of energy are stored in different ways, in the energy sources that we use every day. These sources are divided into two groups -- renewable (an energy source that we can use over and over again) and nonrenewable/conventional (an energy source that we are using up and cannot recreate in a short period of time). Renewable energy sources include solar energy (which comes from the sun and can be turned into electricity and heat), wind energy, geothermal energy (from inside the earth), biomass from plants, and hydropower from water are also renewable energy sources.
However, we get most of our energy from nonrenewable energy sources, which include the fossil fuels - oil, natural gas, and coal. They're called fossil fuels because they were formed over millions and millions of years by the action of heat from the Earth's core and pressure from rock and soil on the remains (or "fossils") of dead plants and animals. Another nonrenewable energy source is the element uranium, whose atoms we split (through a process called nuclear fission) to create heat and ultimately electricity.
We use all these energy sources to generate the electricity we need for our homes, businesses, schools, and factories. Electricity "energizes" our computers, lights, refrigerators, washing machines, and air conditioners, to name only a few uses.
We use energy to run our cars. The gasoline we burn in our cars is made from oil. We use energy to cook on an outdoor grill or soar in a beautiful hot-air balloon. The propane for these recreational activities is made from oil and natural gas.
Energy is in everything. We use energy to do everything we do, from making a jump shot to baking our favourite cookies to sending astronauts into space -- energy is there, making sure we have the power to do it all.
Energy Identifier:
Bring to class examples or images of the following objects. Have students identify the type of energy that is related to each item. You could set up stations around the room or turn it into a game in which the students earn points for each type of energy correctly identified.
Fan (Answer: Uses electrical energy; produces kinetic energy.)
Battery (Answer: Stores chemical energy.)
Banana (Answer: A source of chemical energy.)
Flashlight (Answer: Uses chemical energy; produces light energy.)
Radio (Answer: Uses electrical energy; produces sound energy.)
Guitar (Answer: Uses chemical energy from a person [energy from the food they eat; produces sound energy.)
Candle (Answer: Uses chemical energy; produces light and thermal energy.)
Waterfall (Answer: The water has potential energy at the top of the falls and kinetic energy at the bottom of the falls.)
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