Energy 3.09 and 3.10

Energy 3.09

Waves of Change

Water Waves

Moving water has energy and can move you or other objects. 

Water moves in waves, and the waves have energy.

The energy from the moving water can move things.

Think About It

When you're at the beach, what do you notice? The water is moving in waves, and the waves are moving in patterns. Sometimes they are large and moving fast, and sometimes they are small and moving slow.

At the Beach

Water has energy that can move sand at the beach.

People

Waves help move people from place to place.

Turbines

Water can move large wheels in turbines.

Multiple Choice

Moving water has energy and can move you or other objects.

• TRUE

• FALSE

Multiple Choice

Water moves in waves, and the waves have energy.

• TRUE

• FALSE

Air of Change

It's a warm, sunny afternoon with a bit of a breeze, so you decide to take your kite down to the park. Your kite is soaring high in the air when a strong gust pulls on it. Wow, the wind sure is strong! Just like water, air has energy that can make things move. 

Wind Turbines

Wind turbines typically have three large blades. These blades are moved by the wind. As wind energy rotates the blades, the blades then produce electrical energy for us to use.

Anemometer

An anemometer is a tool used to capture information about the speed of the wind. This helps meteorologists predict the weather.

Multiple Choice

_____________ is a tool used to capture information about the speed of the wind.

• anemometer

• Rain guage

• Barometer

Wind Energy

Wind energy is used for many different purposes, such as creating electricity and kite flying. Wind can also be dangerous. It can cause blizzards in winter and bring down trees in storms.

Waves

The speed of a wave depends on the energy of the wave, as well as how quickly it occurs. If you think about waves on a beach, it might help you understand this concept. When the waves are small, they often move slowly across the water, but when they are large, they seem to be constantly crashing into the shore.

Power in Homes

Humans have engineered ways to transform the power in water and air to create electrical energy that we can use to power our homes. We have found ways to take the energy from air and water and turn it into electricity.

Multiple Choice

The speed of waves in the water depends on the amount of energy in the water.

• TRUE

• FALSE

Multiple Choice

Water moves because it has _____.

• oxygen

• fish

• energy

• seaweed

Multiple Choice

When there is more wind, windmills move slower.

• TRUE

• FALSE

3.10

Energy Transformations

Energy

It is important to understand that energy cannot be created or destroyed. It can only be converted into different forms of energy. The energy in wind, for example, can be transformed from the mechanical energy that turns the blades of the wind turbine to electrical energy that you can use to power things around you. 

Multiple Choice

What energy transformation is occurring?

• Electrical Energy to Heat Energy

• Electrical Energy to Sound Energy

• Heat Energy to Energy of Motion

• Electrical Energy to Wind Energy

Energy Transfer

Energy can be transferred from place to place all the time. Energy is never lost or gained. It only changes form. 

Energy

Energy is never lost or gained. It is only transformed from one form to another. Think about clapping your hands together. You're taking the mechanical energy in the motion of your hands and transforming that into the sound of the hand clap.

.

The lamp uses electrical energy that is transformed into light.

.

The speaker uses electrical energy that is transformed into sound.

.

The solar panels transform light energy from the sun into electrical energy.

Multiple Choice

What piece of evidence supports that energy was transformed by the speaker?

• When electricity was provided to the speaker, no sound was produced.

• The speaker uses sound energy to produce electrical energy.

• When electricity was provided to the speaker, sound was produced.

• The speaker uses light energy to make sound.

The Enigeering Process

Engineers create machines or devices to complete simple tasks. The engineering process, like the scientific method, starts with a question.

Multiple Choice

What is the first step in the scientific process?

• talking to other scientists

• asking a question

• testing your findings

• making an observation

Wind Energy

The energy in the wind is very useful to you. In addition to being able to cool you down, wind can also be used to generate electricity. Always remember that the electricity you use has to come from somewhere. We cannot create electricity out of nothing—we need to transform energy.

Transforming Wind Energy

The energy in the wind is a very valuable resource that humans have been able to harness and use to their advantage. Wind turbines are able to transform the mechanical energy of the rotating arms into usable electrical energy. In the United States, wind turbines generate enough electrical energy to power 20 million homes.

Energy is Everywhere

The types of energy transformation that most people recognize are heat, light, sound, and energy of motion from electrical energy. We use electricity to provide energy to the television, lights, stove, and fans. Other types of energy transformations do exist, like light and wind transforming into electrical energy. Our lives would be very different if we did not have the ability to transform energy.

Solar Energy

The sun is such an important part of our life on Earth. It provides the light that allows us to see and the heat that keeps us warm. Engineers have also figured out a way to transform light energy from the sun into electricity.