Types of Energy Flashcards
Gravitational potential energy (GPE)
- Gravitational potential energy is the energy due to the gravitational force
- Objects that attract by gravity have a higher GPE when they are farther apart and a lower GPE when they are closer together.
Electrical potential energy (EPE)
Electrical potential energy is the energy due to the electrostatic force
How do the charges of an object affect the amount of electrostatic force?
- Objects that attract by the electrostatic force (opposite charges) have a higher EPE when they are farther and a lower EPE when they are closer
- Objects that repel by the electrostatic force (like charges) have a higher EPE when they are close and a lower EPE when they are farther.
Intermolecular forces
Matter holds together because of the intermolecular forces between the atoms and molecules called the intermolecular force.
Thermal potential energy
Thermal potential energy is the energy due to the intermolecular force. When the thermal potential energy of an object changes, the object changes phase.
What is the thermal kinetic energy when matter is in different phases?
Solid-little Liquid-some Gas-most
System
A system is an organized group of related objects or components
Component
Components are the parts of a system
Closed System
Where no components can enter or leave the system
Open system
Where components can enter or leave the system
What are the three properties that are conserved?
- Mass
- Energy
- Charge
Law of Conservation of Energy
Energy cannot be destroyed or created, but it can change forms
Uncontrolled system
An uncontrolled system is where energy is allowed to transfer and flow without being directed in any particular way. Energy in an uncontrolled system is free to move and tends to flow toward a more stable state.
When is a system more stable?
- The total potential energy gets lower
2. The energy is more evenly distributed
Uneven distribution of energy
When energy is unevenly spread out in a system it tends to become more evenly distributed over time.
Uniform distribution of energy
When energy is uniformly distributed in a system the system is in a stable state.
Uncontrolled systems and disorder
Over time, uncontrolled systems tend to become less organized. This is because a less organized system is more uniform and in a more stable state.
Entropy
Entropy is the tendency for an uncontrolled system to increase in disorder over time.
Elastic
An elastic object deforms but returns to its original shape when it is released because of a restoring force.
Elastic potential energy
- Elastic potential energy is the energy an elastic object has due to being stretched or repressed against the object’s restoring force.
- The more an object is stretched or repressed the higher it’s elastic potential energy.
Linear motion
linear motion is motion in a line, from one place to another. Measured in speed, in units of m/s.
Rotational motion
Rotational motion is spinning motion. Rotational motion is measured by rotational speed, in units of RPM or radians/sec.
Thermal motion
Thermal motion is the vibration of particles. Thermal motion is measured by temperature, in the units of Celsius or Kelvin. Higher temperature means the particles vibrate faster, having more thermal motion.
