Different Forms Of Energy

Different forms of energy

1. MECHANICAL ENERGY A form of energy possessed by a moving object or energy stored in the structure of the object due to its position. It can be kinetic (energy in motion) or potential (energy of position). Mechanical energy is stored in objects by the application of force.

Example: compressed springs and a stretched bow are examples of stored mechanical energy.

An object that possesses mechanical energy is able to do work.

Example: moving turbines and some machines that help you do work moving your muscles and doing a lot of activities such as dancing, playing or doing a simple exercise. wind also possesses mechanical energy because it makes things like leaves, ships and windmills move.

2. CHEMICAL ENERGY Form of energy stored in the molecule of matter. A change is necessary to transform chemical energy into usable forms. Chemical energy is released when chemical change occurs.

Example: Fuels such as gasoline, firewood, coal and petroleum contain chemical energy. When burned, the chemical energy is released in the form of heat and light energy. Food contains plenty of chemical energy. When people eat plants, the chemical energy is turned into energy of the body.

3. ELECTRICAL ENERGY Form of energy produced by moving electrons. Electricity occurs in two forms: Static or Current.

Static Electricity – is produced when two different materials are rubbed together. When two objects are rubbed together, electrons move from the surface of one object to the surface of another object. The object that loses an electron becomes positively charged while the object that gains electrons becomes negatively charged. Two different charges attract each other, thus producing static electricity.

​Current Electricity – is produced when the free electrons flow. This kind of electricity is what you use at home and in school.

4. SOUND ENERGY Form of energy produced by vibrating objects. When objects vibrate, sound waves are produced. Sound waves are able to carry vibrations through a medium; this result in the transfer of the energy collected in the vibrations. Sound needs a medium like gases, solids or liquids to travel through. Sound waves travel best through rigid solids.

5. RADIANT ENERGY (Solar energy) Form of energy that can travel through an empty space called vacuum. It is caused by the accelerated electric charges or magnetic field that increase or decrease with time. Radiant energy may be in the form of light, radio waves, infrared waves, ultraviolet radiation, x-rays and gamma rays.

6. HEAT ENERGY (Thermal energy) Form of energy present in everybody due to the motion of molecules. When a substance is heated, the molecules move rapidly and bump one another. The hotter the body gets, the faster the movement of molecules. As the body cools down, the movement of the molecules slows down.

7. NUCLEAR ENERGY Form of energy produced by nuclear fission and nuclear fusion. A tremendous amount of energy is released when nuclear fission and nuclear fusion occur.

Nuclear Fission – is the process of splitting the nucleus of elements with heavy atoms releasing a large amount of energy.

Nuclear Fusion – is the process of combining two or more nuclei to form one heavier nucleus to produce energy. Nuclear reactions are used to generate electricity and to create weapons of mass destruction.

Multiple Choice

1. What forms of energy is caused by the vibration of an object?

• CHEMICAL

• SOUND

• THERMAL

• MECHANICAL

Multiple Choice

2. Food, batteries, and fuel such as gasoline are similar because they are sources of _________ energy.

• CHEMICAL

• MECHANICAL

• SOUND

• RADIANT

Multiple Choice

3. What form of energy is used by farmers to dry their crops without a cost

• ELECTRICAL

• LIGHT

• HEAT

• CHEMICAL

Multiple Choice

4. What form of energy is stored in the leaves of plants?

• CHEMICAL

• MECHANICAL

• ELECTRICAL

• SOUND

Multiple Choice

5. Electrical Energy is _______________.

• energy caused by the vibrations of an object

• energy caused by changes in the nucleus of an atom

• energy produced by moving electrons

• energy caused by heat