(EFE) Forms of Energy Lesson

Forms of Energy

Have you ever wondered how a roller coaster moves, how a car engine runs, or how the human body uses food to maintain its energy needs? All of these activities involve energy changes, and each requires energy from an outside source. Energy is never created or destroyed, but it does change form, and through these changes work is performed. We will examine how energy is used to operate everyday objects, and how energy changes from one form to another.

Before we begin, we need to gain a basic understanding of energy. Energy occurs in many forms, including chemical energy, thermal energy, electromagnetic radiation, gravitational energy, electric energy, elastic energy, and nuclear energy. These exist in two basic states: potential energy that is stored for later use, and kinetic energy that is performing work. Each of these forms of energy can be converted into the other as changes occur within a system. For example, when you walk to your mailbox, energy that is stored within your body is converted into the motion of your legs. With that understanding, we can discuss the various forms of energy in more detail, and see how energy drives all changes that occur in our lives.

There are many forms of energy, and each can take the form of potential or kinetic.

Watch the following video to learn about those forms of energy: Chemical, Thermal, Electromagnetic Radiation, Gravitational, Electrical, Elastic, and Nuclear.

Use the presentation below to learn more about the forms of energy. 

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