Energy Notes

ENERGY - the ability to do work or cause change

 

** You can think of work as the transfer of energy

 ** The two general kinds of energy: Kinetic Energy and Potential Energy  **Every chemical reaction involves a change of energy. Some reactions release energy and others absorb energy.

KINETIC ENERGY - the energy of motion  **Kinetic Energy of an object depends on both mass and velocity.  **Kinetic energy increases as mass increases. Kinetic energy increases when

velocity increases. 

Kinetic Energy = (Mass x Velocity2) / 2

POTENTIAL ENERGY - energy that is stored and held in readiness (potential to do work)

Mechanical Energy - the energy associated with the motion or position of an object. This type can occur as kinetic or potential.

   

Thermal Energy - the total energy of the particles in a substance or material. When the thermal energy of an object increases, its particles move faster, making the temperature of the object rise. These particles have both potential energy and kinetic energy.

Chemical Energy - potential energy stored in CHEMICAL BONDS that hold chemical compounds together. 

Electrical Energy - the energy carried by MOVING ELECTRICAL CHARGES that produce electricity

     Electromagnetic Energy - Energy that travels in waves. These waves have some electrical properties and some have magnetic properties. The light you see each day is an example.

  Nuclear Energy - potential energy stored in the nucleus of an atom and is released during nuclear reactions. Nuclear fission happens in Nuclear power plants. Nuclear fusion happens in the sun and other stars.

CALORIE - a unit of heat energy - the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 g of pure water by 1º Celsius

LAW OF CONSERVATION OF ENERGY - when one form of energy is converted to another, no energy is destroyed. Energy cannot be created or destroyed.

**In every physical change or chemical change, the total amount of energy stays the same.

TEMPERATURE - a measure of the average kinetic energy of the individual particles in an object.

HEAT - The movement of THERMAL ENERGY from a substance at a higher temperature to another at a lower temperature

**Heat can move in 3 different ways

CONDUCTION - heat is transferred from one particle of matter to another WITHOUT the movement of matter itself.

CONVECTION - heat is transferred by the MOVEMENT of currents within a fluid (a liquid or a gas).

RADIATION - the transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves. Radiation does NOT require matter to transfer thermal energy.

**A material that conducts heat well is called a conductor.

**A material that does NOT conduct heat well is called a insulator.