Types of energy

Energy Energy Energy

Energy
• Energy is something that must be changed or transferred in order to do store transfer
Kinetic energy collision
something (work)
Energy stored due to movement of object ✔︎ ×
o Ability to do work
• Unit for measuring energy = joule (J) or kilojoule (kJ) Chemical energy
Energy stored in food, batteries, chemical fuels
✔︎ ×
(wood, oil, coal)

Law of conservation of energy Thermal energy

Heat energy stored in hot objects & transferred
• Energy can neither be created nor destroyed - only transferred or ✔︎ ✔︎
to colder objects
transformed.
Elastic potential energy
Energy stored when things are
Food (chemical energy) thermal energy ✔︎ ×
stretched/squeezed to change their shape
Storing energy (heat)
• Energy can be stored, but not all energy can be stored for long Gravitational potential energy
periods of time Energy stored due to an object’s position ✔︎ ×

• Examples of energy stores:

Electrical energy
o fossil fuel Flow of current in a circuit × ✔︎
o biofuels
Sound energy
o energy from the Sun (solar panels)
Energy transferred from vibrating objects × ✔︎

Light energy
Visible energy from luminous objects × ✔︎
 Mass, kinetic energy (KE) and gravitational potential energy (GPE)
Energy changes
• Energy changes from one form to another during a process or event
o Some energy can be lost (dissipated) during energy change

• If two objects have same speed, the object with MORE MASS has
MORE KINETIC ENERGY
• If two objects have same mass, the object with MORE SPEED has MORE
KINETIC ENERGY
The higher your position is, the higher
your GPE

• A more efficient system produces MORE USEFUL ENERGY than wasted

energy. • If two objects are at the same height, the object with MORE MASS has
MORE GPE
• If two objects have same mass, the object with MORE HEIGHT has
MORE GPE
Kinetic energy & gravitational potential energy GPE Kinetic energy & elastic potential energy EPE

Chemical energy (food) -> kinetic energy -> GPE -> kinetic energy
1 Below is a list of definitions for different types of energy. Write down
the type of energy described in each statement. (b) A student uses a torch light. What is the energy change that
is taking place in the torch light?
(a) The energy that something has because of its position.
Chemical Electrical Light
GPE
energy energy energy
(b) The energy that something has because it has changed shape
Elastic potential energy (EPE) Thermal
energy
(c) The energy stored in food or fuels
Chemical energy
3 Below is a list of items. Write down the useful energy and wasted
(d) The energy that something has because it is moving
energy in each of these items.
Kinetic energy

(a) A hair dryer

2 (a) A TV is turned on. What is the energy change that takes place
Useful: Thermal energy
in the TV? Wasted: Sound energy

Thermal
energy
(b) A kettle
Useful: Thermal energy
Electrical Sound
Wasted: Sound energy
energy energy

Light energy (c) A television

Useful: Light, Sound energy
Wasted: Thermal energy
4 A boy is riding his bicycle. Complete the sentences using the words 5 A man and his son run to the top of a hill and stop. The mass of the
below. (You may use the words once, more than once or not at all) man is bigger than the mass of the boy.

thermal chemical elastic potential (a) They run to the top of the hill at the same speed. Who has
light gravitational kinetic more kinetic energy?
potential The man. Because he has more mass.

(a) The food that he eats for breakfast is a store of

chemical
………………...… energy.

(b) The useful energy is ………………....…

kinetic energy.

(b) When they are at the top of the hill, who has more
(c) The wasted energy is …………………..…
thermal energy. gravitational potential energy?

The man. Because he has more mass.

kinetic
(d) As he moves up a hill and down again, the …………………..…
energy and ………………………...… energy changes.
gravitational potential

chemical
(e) The …………..………..… energy in the battery stores the energy
he needs for the bicycle lights.
6 Erica is trying to shoot an arrow at a target using a bow and arrow.

(a) What is the energy change taking place in the bow string
when Erica pulls the bow string and releases the arrow?
Elastic potential energy (pull) ->
kinetic energy (released)

(b) Erica shoots the arrow but it does not reach the target, as
shown in the diagram below.

What can she do with the bow string to make sure the arrow
reaches the target?

Pull the bow string more / further