Energy Transfer
Types of energy
⇒ Electrical energy - whenever a current flows there is electrical energy
⇒ Light energy - this can come from the sun or a light, for example
⇒ Sound energy - this can come from anything that makes a noise
⇒ Kinetic energy - if an object is moving it has kinetic energy
⇒ Nuclear energy - this is released from nuclear reactions
⇒ Thermal/Heat energy - this moves from hot to cold objects
⇒ Gravitational potential energy - if an object could fall, it has gravitational potential energy
⇒ Elastic potential energy - this is stored in objects like springs, elastic bands, etc.
⇒ Chemical energy - this is stored in objects like batteries, food, fuels, etc.
Stored Energy
⇒ The final three types of energy above - gravitational potential, elastic potential, and chemical energy - are stored because they aren't technically doing anything, but just waiting to be transferred into another type of energy
Energy Conservation
⇒ Remember the differene between the following:
⇒ 1) "Energy conservation" is about proteccting humans and the Earth, by trying to use fewer resources
⇒ 2. "The principle of the conservation of energy" is an important principle in physics which is discussed below...
The principle of the conservation of energy
⇒ Definition: Energy can never be created nor detroyed - it's only ever converted from one form to another
⇒ A roller coaster's energy, for example, is always tranferring between gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy
⇒ Also remember this principle: energy is only useful when it can be converted from one form to another