Chemical energy
CHEMICAL energy is found in the BONDS between atoms. Bonds are formed and broken during chemical reactions. Chemical energy is what we called the BONDS between atoms when they make compounds and molecules. This stored energy can be released and used to reform other compounds in a chemical reaction. It is chemical energy that we release when we burn wood, use gasoline in our cars, or metabolize our food.
Heat energy
HEAT energy is the motion of and friction between the particles of matter. Everything is made up of particles. The speed of those particles makes a difference in its interaction with the things around them. Faster particles have a greater amount of kinetic energy and we say they have a higher temperature. Slower particles will register lower on the thermometer.
Heat moves naturally from hot to cold until temperatures are the same.
Heat can move in three ways: 1) conduction – direct contact between objects 2) convection – moving heat through a liquid or gas and 3) radiation – a wavelength of electromagnetic energy (light) called infrared.
Electromagnetic energy
ELECTROMAGNETIC energy the attraction and repulsion of charged subatomic particles (+ and -) and magnets (North and South). When we turn on the “electricity” in our homes we are utilizing the flow of electrons. Some elements allow these negatively charged particles to move from atom to atom. The potential for these particles to move is described as Voltage while the number of electrons that pass by is referred to Amperage. Electrical energy can be generated by moving a magnet near a coil of Copper wire.
Mechanical energy
MECHANICAL energy is the energy of motion, both stored (potential) and in action (kinetic). Mechanical Energy refers to anything that IS moving or has the POTENTIAL to move. Motion can be stored when objects have height above the ground or when a spring is forced out of its normal shape. We often use a pendulum to discuss the relationship between potential and kinetic energy.
Nuclear energy – tell me more…
NUCLEAR energy is what holds positive protons together within the nucleus of atoms. The energy that holds the nucleus of an atom together. The nucleus of an atom is made up of subatomic particles called protons and neutrons. Protons are all positively charged and tend to repel each other with great force. Einstein helped us understand that there must be a source of energy that holds the protons together when they would rather stay away from each other.
Radiant energy –
RADIANT energy travels at the speed of light in the form of electromagnetic waves. This is a form of energy that travels as an electromagnetic wave at the speed of light. We distinguish between the different types of light by measuring their wavelengths and frequency. Most light waves cannot be seen by human eyes and include wavelengths described as radio, microwave, infrared, ultraviolet, x-ray, and gamma rays.
Find out more on the RADIANT ENERGY page!
The wavelengths of light that we can see with our eyes are called VISIBLE LIGHT. Find out more about these frequencies of light on the VISIBLE LIGHT page!
Sound energy –
SOUND energy travels as waves of matter caused by vibrations. A specific form of mechanical energy, sound describes the vibrations that travel as waves through matter. Similar to light waves, we distinguish the type and pitches of sound waves by measuring the wavelength and frequency.
ENERGY – The stuff that makes things go!
ENERGY is a term we give to objects to help describe how the universe runs. It makes objects move, powers our phones, and provides sunlight for everything on Earth. It can’t be created or destroyed but it can be changed into different forms. There are SEVEN different FORMS of energy that we will look at. When a form of energy is doing work we say is it KINETIC energy. When the form of energy has the ability to do work but isn’t currently doing so, we call it POTENTIAL energy.
The Law of Conservation of Energy
This is similar to other “laws of conservation” in that we must account for something before and after an event. In this case, ENERGY is the concept being conserved. The universe has a specific amount of matter and energy. If we could account for all of the matter and energy at the beginning of the universe it MUST equal the amount of matter and energy at the end of time. It won’t look the same but it will all be there.
Energy Transformations
Imagine going to the bank with 5000 pennies and exchanging it for a a crisp $50 bill. That $50 bill could also be exchanged for THREE $10s, THREE $5s, and FIVE $1s. In both situations, the amount of money is the same in value but it looks very different. Because they are the same before and after, we say it is “conserved” or accounted for.
The same is true with energy. Energy may start in one form and then be convert or TRANSFORMED into another form. For example, our Sun uses nuclear energy to generate light. The light travels through the depths of space where some of it hits the Earth and transforms into heat. Some of that light is absorbed by green plants that use the light energy to rearrange molecules of Carbon dioxide and water into Glucose and Oxygen gas. Animals eat the plants and some of those animals get eaten by other animals. Eventually, the energy that began on the Sun can become the Calories we consume in a bag of Doritos to allow our heart to beat, our lungs to breathe, and our muscles to move. Nuclear energy on a star looks very different from the energy needed to move your pinky finger but it is all ENERGY…just in different forms.
Heat is always given off when energy is transformed!
