Energy Flashcards
Energy
Energy is the
ability to do work
such as move,
burn, heat, etc.
Energy is
measured in units
called Joules
Potential energy
This is stored energy that
is just waiting to do work such as a coiled
spring or elastic band
Kinetic energy
The energy that moving
things have ie, a windmill turning or a car
moving
Heat energy
Heat is energy because it can
cause things to move
Light energy
Light can move things in a
Crookes Radiometer or in a solar powered
calculator
Sound energy
If you put your head near a
loudspeaker you can feel that air being
moved by sound energy
Electrical energy
This energy can make
things like extractor fans move
Chemical energy
This is the type of energy
stored in fuels such as coal and oil, it is also
stored in the food we eat and in batteries
Nuclear energy
this energy is stored in the
nucleus of atoms
Law of conservation of energy
Energy cannot be created or destroyed it
can only be changed (converted) from one
form to another
Circuits
A circuit is made up of a battery, some wires
and different types of equipment and can be
used to observe energy conversions
Energy supplies
There are 2 types of energy source
1. Renewable Energy Sources
2. Non Renewable energy Sources
Renewable energy sources
Renewable energy sources are constantly
being replaced by nature
Solar energy
solar panels on buildings use
the sun’s energy to heat water
Hydro electric energy
Dams hold back
water and then let it drop onto a wheel to
turn a generator turbine to make electricity
Wind energy
Wind can turn windmills which
generate electricity
Wave energy
The movement of large floats
by the energy in waves could be used to
generate electricity
Biomass energy
Some plants produce oils
others can produce fuels such as alcohol and
methane gas
Geothermal energy
The temperature under
the Earth’s surface increases with depth this
heat can be used to heat water in some
places
Advantages of renewable energy
Renewable Energy does not cause pollution
They will not run out
They are fairly safe to use
Disadvantages of renewable energy
They are expensive to develop and set up
More research needs to be done into how to
make them good sources of energy
Fossil fuels
Oil, coal and natural gas are all examples of
fossil fuels
They were formed over millions of years
from the bodies of dead plants and animals
Once they are burned they are gone
They will only last another 200- 300 years at
present day usage
They cause pollution and damage to the
atmosphere
The suns energy
The sun allows plants to make
food which stores chemical
energy used by every animal on earth
The sun heats the oceans and air creating
wind, currents, waves and rivers
The heat energy made by the sun can be
used to heat water
The light energy from the sun can be
changed to electrical energy
Nuclear energy
When the nucleus of an atom is split large
amounts of energy are released from it
If this energy is uncontrolled dangerous
explosions may happen
Advantages of nuclear energy
- In medicine nuclear
radiation is used to
kill cancer cells - Radiation can be
used to sterilise
food - Radiation can
produce electricity - It will not run out
like fossil fuels
Disadvantages of nuclear energy
- The waste products of nuclear energy are
radioactive and are harmful to the
environment and living things - The waste products last in the environment
for a very long time - If the nuclear energy gets out of control
huge explosions may happen such as that in
Chernobyl in 1986
