Basics of Energy

ENERGY

BY LUKE GALAN

GIVE YOUR OWN THOUGHTS

WHAT IS ENERGY?

Open Ended

In your opinion, what is energy?

ENERGY IS A NONMATERIAL CONCEPT USED TO DESCRIBE SYMMETRY IN THE UNIVERSE.

NO SINGLE PARTICLE OF ENERGY EXISTS.

ENERGY IS A NECESSARY TOOL IN DESCRIBING THE UNIVERSE.

ENERGY IS THE MONEY OF THE UNIVERSE.

Multiple Choice

Why couldn't scientists find any particle for energy?

• Because no such particle actually exists.

• Because they were looking in the wrong places.

• Because they didn't have the technology.

• They did find a particle of energy.

TWO FORMS OF ENERGY

POTENTIAL ENERGY & KINETIC ENERGY

ENERGY STORED IN AN OBJECT DUE TO ITS POSITION.
MEASURED IN JOULES (J).

PE_g = m g h

POTENTIAL ENERGY

ENERGY IN AN OBJECT THAT IS MOVING.
MEASURED IN JOULES (J).

KE = ¹/₂ m v²

KINETIC ENERGY

Multiple Choice

A box sits at the edge of a tall cliff. What kind of energy does it possess?

• Kinetic Energy

• Gravitational Potential Energy.

Fill in the Blanks

Any object that is moving has

energy. If an object is not moving, it likely has potential energy. Sometimes an object can have both.

LAW OF CONSERVATION OF ENERGY

FOR A CLOSED SYSTEM, THE TOTAL ENERGY REMAINS UNCHANGED.

ΔE_TOT = 0
OR
E_TOT = PE_g + KE