Types of energy and

their transformation
 Introduction

 According to physics, energy is the capacity of a system to do work, and its unit of measurement is joules. 

 The unit of measurement that we use to quantify energy is the joule (J), in honor of the English physicist
James Prescott Joule.

 Energy and work are closely related. While energy represents the ability of bodies to produce work, that is,
a transformation in themselves or in the environment, work represents the transformation process itself.

 Through work the body's energy is transformed:

 The body gains energy => Positive work => Work is done on the body.

 The body loses energy => Negative work => The body does work on the system.

 The body neither gains nor loses energy => No work => No work is done or received.
 Energy properties

• First Law of Thermodynamics

"Energy is neither created nor destroyed, it is only transformed"

 Energy has 4 basic properties:

•Becomes.
Energy is not created, but is transformed and it is during this transformation that
the different forms of energy are manifested.
•Is preserved.
At the end of any energy transformation process there can never be
more or less energy than there was at the beginning, it is always
maintained. Energy is not destroyed.

• Is transfered.
Energy passes from one body to another in the form of heat, waves, or
work.

• Degrades.
Only part of the transformed energy is capable of producing work and
the other part is lost in the form of heat or noise (unwanted mechanical
vibrations).
 Type of energy and forces involved or form of storage

 • Mechanics
 Kinetic energy: Associated with the movement of bodies or systems
 Potential energy: Associated with mechanical forces: gravitational and elastic

 • Electromagnetic
 Energy of electric current and electromagnetic field
 Associated with electric and magnetic forces

 • Bright or radiant
 Associated with the transport of electromagnetic radiation
 Visible and non-visible light energy
 • Thermal
 Associated with internal molecular agitation
 Associated with the concept of temperature

 • Chemistry
 Energy of chemical bonds
 Appears in chemical reactions

 • Nuclear
 Internal cohesion energy of nuclei
 Appears in nuclear reactions
 Examples of energy transformations

 When both work and heat are produced, energy flows from one system to another and
normally changes from one type of energy to another.
 Photovoltaic

Photovoltaic (PV) devices generate electricity directly from sunlight through an

electronic process that occurs naturally in certain types of material, called
semiconductors. The electrons in these materials are released by solar energy and
can be induced to travel through an electrical circuit, powering electrical devices or
sending electricity to the grid.

Photovoltaic devices can be used to power anything from small electronic devices
like calculators and road signs to homes and large commercial businesses.
 History of photovoltaic technology

The PV effect was observed as early as 1839 by Alexandre Edmund Becquerel, and was
the subject of scientific research until the beginning of the 20th century. In 1954, Bell
Labs in the US introduced the first solar photovoltaic device that produced a usable
amount of electricity, and by 1958, solar cells were being used in a variety of small-
scale scientific and commercial applications.

The energy crisis of the 1970s saw the beginning of great interest in using solar cells to
produce electricity in homes and businesses, but the prohibitive prices (almost 30
times higher than the current price) made applications to large scale were not
practical.

Industry developments and research in the following years made photovoltaic devices
more feasible and began a cycle of increasing production and decreasing costs that
continues even today.
 How does photovoltaic technology work?

The photons strike and ionize the semiconductor material in the solar
panel, causing the outer electrons to break free from their atomic
bonds. Due to the structure of the semiconductor, electrons are forced
in one direction creating a flow of electrical current. Solar cells are
not 100% efficient in crystalline silicon solar cells, in part because only
certain light can be absorbed within the spectrum. Part of the
spectrum of light is reflected, part is too weak to generate electricity
(infrared), and part (ultraviolet) creates thermal energy instead of
electricity.
 Modern photovoltaic
The cost of photovoltaics has fallen dramatically as the industry has
increased manufacturing and gradually improved technology with new
materials. Installation costs have also been reduced with more
experienced and trained installers. Globally, the US has the third largest
market for photovoltaic installations and continues to grow rapidly.
Most modern solar cells are made of crystalline silicon or thin-film
semiconductor material. Silicon cells are more efficient at converting
sunlight into electricity, but generally have higher manufacturing costs.
Thin film materials tend to have lower efficiencies, but can be simpler
and less expensive to manufacture. A specialized category of solar cells,
called tandem or multi-junction cells, is used in applications that require
very low weight and very high efficiencies, such as satellites and military
applications. All types of photovoltaic systems are widely used today in a
variety of applications.