Energy Forms Notes

Physics is the study of matter & energy.

We look for patterns to make predictions.
This unit we will focus on ENERGY.
What is energy?

 “Something” that can change the

condition of matter or the system
 Is only seen when it is being
transformed (changed) from one form
to another
We notice energy when
we observe a CHANGE in
the system
 This means the INITIAL STATE is
different from the FINAL STATE for our
system
 SYSTEM- the object(s) we are looking at
(what you drew a sketch of at each lab
station was the system for that station)
INITIAL STATE
-how the SYSTEM is at the beginning; a
snapshot in time
FINAL STATE
 -how the SYSTEM is at the end, once a
change has happened; also a snapshot
in time
For the remaining notes, set
up this table in your lab book
(on right side). It will
probably require 2 pages.
Form of Definition/details Real life/Lab
Energy examples
MECHANICAL ENERGY
Energy of moving objects we can see or
objects with energy stored for later
use
Examples
roller coaster marble going downhill,
Basketball spinning/horse hopping
Bouncy ball falling
RADIANT/LIGHT ENERGY
 Energy from moving waves such as light,
radio, gamma and x-rays
(the electromagnetic spectrum)
Examples
Light from the flash light
Rays from the sun
SOUND ENERGY

 Energy of vibrating particles

 Sound waves must have a medium to
move through like air or water or walls
Examples
Air moving inside green tube making
sounds
Sounds from wind-up toys
THERMAL ENERGY
 Energy from moving molecules in an object
 the faster they move, the more thermal energy
 Related to HEAT
 Friction causes more thermal energy
Examples
Colliding spheres, hand boiler
all moving objects that stop moving due to friction
Look for …

a change in the temperature

of an object
or

a friction force

causing the thermal energy

to increase in your system.
ELECTRIC/
ELECTROMAGNETIC
ENERGY
 Energy of moving electrons (electricity) in a
circuit
Examples
Electrons moving through wires for GenCon
Electrons moving through you and wires
when you touched the UFO ball
CHEMICAL ENERGY
 Energy stored in the chemical bonds of substances
 Is transformed when a chemical change takes place
Examples
Alkaseltzer + water,
food,
batteries,
gasoline
When the glow stick
is bent, the stored
chemical energy is
transformed into
light energy.
ELASTIC ENERGY
 Energy stored in a stretched or compressed object
that will go back to its original shape
 Things that are springy have this energy stored in
them when they are stretched or pressed
Examples
Bouncy ball
Spring inside wind-up horse/basketball
Rubber bands
Muscles & Skin
Which of these things do
you think can store elastic
energy?
 A bouncy ball
 A water balloon
 A tennis ball
 A golf ball
A Bouncy Ball stores elastic energy!

So does a
Water Balloon!
 Tennis Balls store
elastic energy!

This is not half of a tennis ball.

It changes shape THAT MUCH when you hit
it!
 Golf Balls store
elastic energy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=00I2uXDxbaE
GRAVITATIONAL ENERGY
 Energy stored in an object due to its height
above a surface
 The higher you go, the more gravitational
energy you have because of the Earth’s
gravitational pull
Examples
Marble at the top of the hill on roller coaster
Bouncy ball held above the floor
You at the top of a staircase
 The ball has
the most
gravitational
The higher that an energy up here

object is elevated,
the greater the
gravitational energy
(note, we took multiple pictures
of the ball as it fell to the
ground in this diagram)
If the ball is on the ground, it
has no gravitational energy.
NUCLEAR ENERGY
 Energy stored in the nucleus (center) of an atom
 Is transformed into other energy types through
fission (splitting the nucleus) or fusion
(combining 2 nuclei) reactions
Examples
Nuclear bomb test video
The sun
Cancer treatment
Nuclear fuel in a power plant
 2 Energy Types

 KINETIC ENERGY: energy of motion,

something is moving

 POTENTIAL ENERGY: energy that is

stored in something; the object has the
potential to make changes happen