Energy and energy resources Section 1 What is Energy?
Energy is the ability to do work. Work is when a force causes an object to move in the direction of the force Work and energy are both expressed in joules
Kinetic energy The energy of motion. If it moves it has kinetic energy. Kinetic energy can be calculated using mass and velocity KE=mv 2 /2 Example If a car with a mass of 2000kg is traveling at 30 m/s what is it’s KE? {2000 x (30 x 30) } / 2 = 900,000 joules
Potential energy The energy of position Depends on weight and height GPE=weight (in Newtons) X height (in meters) Example- the 10 N rock is balanced on the top of the 1400 m hill. What is it’s gravitational potential energy? GPE = 10 N X 1400 m = 14,000 joules ctural/roller-coaster3.htm ctural/roller-coaster3.htm files/energy.swf files/energy.swf
Mechanical energy Is the combination of potential and kinetic energy Because the two energies are closely related. ME= GPE+KE nergy/se.cfm nergy/se.cfm
Other types of energy Thermal – All of the atoms in things move, this molecular movement is measured by temperature. Boiling water takes thermal energy. n/collection/transportP.swf n/collection/transportP.swf n/collection/transportP.swf Chemical- Energy can be stored in the bonds between atoms, when you break these bonds to rearrange the atoms you can release the energy. Digesting food releases chemical energy ( possible in the dark lifesavers activity)
Other types of energy Electrical- when the electrons in a wire ( or other substance) move back and forth. Sound- is the movement and vibrations of particles in the air, usually caused by movement. ( needs particles to work, there is no sound in space, so a space ship blowing up would actually be silent) Light- the vibrations of electrically charged particles. ( does not need atom particles to work so you would see the blast in space!)
Other types of energy Nuclear- Energy created by changing the nucleus of an atom. There are two types… Fission - which is taking a big atom and breaking it apart ( power plants like Cordova do this) Fission - which is taking a big atom and breaking it apart ( power plants like Cordova do this) Fusion- combining small atoms. (The sun takes the small atoms of hydrogen and fuses them to make helium.)
Section 2 Energy Conversions