lesson 5; types of energy

Question 1

categories of energy

Answer 1

• Energy can be categorized into two broad topics; kinetic energy and potential energy.
• These two are the basic forms of energy.

Question 2

kinetic energy

Answer 2

• Kinetic energy is the energy of moving objects while potential energy is energy that is stored.
• the subtopic of the energies is; thermal energy, radiant energy, light energy, chemical energy, nuclear energy, electrical energy, gravitational energy, and mechanical energy.

Question 3

thermal energy

Answer 3

• Thermal energy or also called heat energy is produced when there is a rise in temperature that causes atoms and molecules to move faster and collide with each other.
• Thermal energy is the energy that comes from the heated up substance which means that the hotter the substance, the more its particles move, and the higher its thermal energy.
• Say you have a hot pot. You forgot that the pot is hot, so you grabbed it with your hand. Now, your hand is burnt because of the hot pot. The thermal energy from the hot pot is being transferred to your hand that is why you felt the burn in your hands.

Question 4

nuclear/radiant energy

Answer 4

• Radiant energy is a form of electromagnetic energy.
• This type of energy can take the form of visible waves, which is what we call light energy.
• The sun produces lots of radiant energy which is transmitted to Earth as light
• Radiant energy that is transmitted by electromagnetic waves can come in different forms.
• Some examples of radiant energy are from the sunshine, x-rays, and radiant heating systems.
• Nuclear energy comes from the nucleus of atoms
• Nuclear energy is released by nuclear fusion/fission
• A nuclear fusion is when the nuclei are fused together, when nuclear fission is when the nuclei split apart
• Nuclear energy is a non-renewable energy source that comes from the nucleus of atoms.
• Nuclear plants use the nuclear fission of a radioactive element called uranium to generate electricity
• The nucleus of the uranium atom is hit by a neutron, this causes the uranium atoms to split into two atoms and at the same time the energy is released in the form of heat and radiation
• As a result, more neutrons are repeated causing a chain reaction

Question 5

light energy

Answer 5

• Light energy is a form of electromagnetic radiation of a wavelength which can be seen by the human eye
• It is a type of kinetic energy in an electromagnetic spectrum
• Light energy is formed through the movement of photons
• Photons are like tiny pockets of energy
• When an object heats up, photons are produced from the movement of the atoms
• The hotter the object, the more photons produced
• Light energy is used to help us see, and can either be created naturally or man-made
• Light energy is also used by plants during photosynthesis

Question 6

chemical energy

Answer 6

• Chemical energy is stored in the bonds that connect atoms with other atoms and molecules with other molecules
• Because energy is stored, it is a form of potential energy
• When a chemical reaction takes place, the stored energy is released
• Chemical energy is the most widely used type of energy in the world
• Stored energy can be found in your food, coal, biomasses, and chemical batteries. This energy allows us to stay warm and grow

Question 7

electrical energy

Answer 7

• Electrical energy is caused by the movement of electrical changes called electrons
• The faster the charges move, the more electrical energy they carry
• Since the charges that cause energy are moving, we can say that electrical energy is a form of kinetic energy

Question 8

gravitational potential energy

Answer 8

• Gravitational energy is the kind of energy associated with gravity
• It is the potential energy stored by an object because of its higher position compared to a lower position
• Gravitational energy occurs and increases as an object or system moves further away from the centre of the earth
• Gravitational energy is dependent on the mass of two bodies and their distance apart
• For example, you can experience gravitational energy when rising a roller coaster. You experience microgravity which means you are moving at the same speed as the vehicle you are riding in
• When something is in a higher position, it has a high gravitational potential energy, for example if you put a book on the top shelf, it’s gravitational energy is higher than that of a book on the lower shelf