Identifying Forms of Energy
This form of energy travels in straight lines called rays, bounces off mirrors, and allows our eyes to see the world around us.
What is light energy?
For electricity to flow and power up a device, it must travel through a completely unbroken, continuous loop called this type of circuit.
What is a closed circuit?
Materials like copper, aluminum, and iron that easily allow electrical currents to flow through them are called this.
What are conductors?
When you plug in and turn on a kitchen toaster, electrical energy goes in, and this primary form of energy comes out to crisp the bread.
What is heat (or thermal) energy?
Rubbing a balloon on a wool sweater creates an imbalance of electric charges on the surface, producing this everyday phenomenon.
What is static electricity?
This form of energy is produced by rapid vibrations traveling through matter, allowing humans and animals to hear.
What is sound energy?
Flipping a light switch to the "OFF" position creates a physical gap in the path of electricity, turning it into this type of circuit.
What is an open circuit?
Materials like rubber, plastic, glass, and wood are given this name because they block or heavily resist the flow of electricity.
What are insulators?
A standard television set is designed to transform incoming electrical energy into these two primary forms of output energy.
What are light and sound energy?
When two objects have the exact same electrical charge—such as two negative charges—they will push away from one another, which is known by this term.
What is repel?
The energy stored inside items like AA batteries, the food we eat, and fossil fuels is classified as this type of energy.
What is chemical energy?
In a standard classroom circuit setup, a battery or a wall outlet acts as this vital component.
What is the power source?
Electrical cords plug safely into our walls because they are made of conductive metal wires wrapped inside this specific type of material.
What is an insulator (or plastic/rubber)?
When a ceiling fan is switched on, electrical energy is transformed into this form of energy to make the blades spin.
What is mechanical energy (or motion)?
When two objects have opposite electrical charges—one positive and one negative—they will pull toward each other, which is known by this term.
What is attract?
This form of energy is the sum of an object's kinetic and potential energy—essentially, it is the energy of an object due to its motion or position.
What is mechanical energy?
This is the specific component added to a circuit that allows a person to easily and safely break or complete the electrical loop.
What is a switch?
True or False: While pure water is actually a poor conductor, typical tap water and pool water conduct electricity easily because they contain dissolved minerals.
What is true?
A solar panel does the opposite of a light bulb: it absorbs light energy from the sun and transforms it directly into this type of energy.
What is electrical energy?
True or False: An electrically charged object has the unique ability to attract an uncharged, neutral object.
What is true?
According to Florida science standards, energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it is defined as having the ability to do these two things to an object.
What is cause motion or create change?
If a string of holiday lights goes completely dark just because a single bulb burns out, the lights are wired in this specific type of circuit.
What is a series circuit?
If a scientist tests a mystery object in a circuit gap and the light bulb shines brightly, they have proven the mystery object possesses this specific physical property.
What is electrical conductivity?
Think about the energy chain: When a battery-powered radio plays music, energy transforms from chemical energy, to ________ energy, and finally to sound energy.
What is electrical energy?
Because an electrically charged object can pull or push another object without physically touching it, electrical force is classified as this type of force.
What is a non-contact force?