Energy

Energy is used to do work. In our modern lives we are more and more preoccupied with finding new sources of energy to heat our buildings and move our machines, including cars. Since the dawn of the 20th century, fossil fuels have been the main way we get energy, but those forms of energy are causing environmental damage and leading to global warming. That is because the burning of fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. New forms of energy are being sought.

About Energy

There are two main forms of energy, they are 1) Kinetic energy, which is motion energy and 2) Potential energy, which is energy stored in matter.

Kinetic energy is defined as the energy of a moving object such as a thrown baseball, a speeding car, a waterfall, or a boulder falling from a cliff. These are all examples of objects that have kinetic energy.

There are many different forms of Potential energy (also known as stored energy) and it is defined as energy in matter because of its position or because of the arrangement of all of its parts.

The various forms of potential energy include gravitational potential energy, elastic potential energy, chemical potential energy, and electrical potential energy.

Gravitational Potential Energy is when something is lifted up or it is suspended in the air and work is done on the object when it is against the pull of the gravity. This work is then changed into a form of potential energy that is called gravitational potential energy. When something succumbs to the force of the gravity such as when an acorn falls from a tree, it converts potential energy into kinetic energy.

Elastic Potential Energy is when an object (such as a rubber band or a spring) resists being stretched out of shape. The elastic potential energy in a spring can be used to do work. A spring on a toy can make the toy propel so; the elastic potential energy in the spring was converted into kinetic energy.

Chemical Potential energy is energy that is stored in molecules. During combustion, bonds are broken and reformed creating new products. The energy stored in gasoline is released by burning it. During this combustion, chemical bonds are broken and reformed and this then releases energy. The car motor uses this released energy to start the car. There are many examples of chemical potential energy being converted to kinetic energy to do work. The chemical energy in food is used by our bodies to be able to move. In a lighted firecracker chemical energy is used to make a loud sound and to spray the area with the pieces of firecracker.

Electrical Potential Energy is energy that is sometimes stored in a battery and is converted into other forms of energy such as sound, mechanical motion, thermal energy, and light. For an electrical appliance that you plug in, the electrical potential energy is maintained by a spinning generator of a power plant, hydroelectric dam, or a windmill.