Forms of Energy
This form of energy is found in things like fire, heaters, and stoves.
What energy conversion takes place in a stove?
electrical to thermal
A push or a pull
force
Hank thinks that a bigger battery in his flashlight would produce a brighter light, so he tries AA, AAA, and D batteries. What is the independent variable in this investigation?
the size/type of battery
This form of energy is found in the Sun, flashlights, and lamps.
What energy conversion takes place in a flashlight?
A force acting on an object, causing the object to move in the direction of the force
work
Julia thinks that plants will grow more if they are exposed to more sunlight throughout the day, so she puts 2 plants in a sunny spot and 2 plants in a dark spot. She observes them growing for 3 weeks. What is the dependent variable in this investigation?
the growth of plants
This form of energy is found in bicycles, wind turbines, and blenders.
mechanical energy
What energy conversion takes place in a hand crank flashlight?
mechanical to electrical to radiant
The ability to cause change or do work
energy
A power company wants to start using cleaner forms of energy production, so they measure the amount of energy produced from solar panels and compare it to the amount of energy produced from wind turbines. What is the independent variable in this investigation?
the energy source (solar vs. wind)
This form of energy is found in generators, wall outlets, and circuits.
electrical energy
What energy conversion takes place in a solar-powered calculator?
radiant to electrical
Stored energy
potential energy
The neighborhood gym has a great idea for saving money on their electric bill every month. They install bikes that produce electricity when they are used and then they use that electricity to power the lights in the gym. They compare their power bill before and after using this new method. What is the dependent variable in this investigation?
the cost of the power bill
mechanical to electrical
This form of energy is found in batteries, wood, and photosynthesis of plants.
chemical
What energy conversion takes place in a wind turbine?
mechanical to electrical
Energy of motion
kinetic energy
A motorcycle company has decided that it might be a good idea to change their exhaust pipes to avoid injuries while riding. They test steel pipes vs. titanium pipes and measure the amount of heat produced. They test these pipes on the same type of motorcycle at the same speeds. What is the independent variable in this investigation?
the material of the pipes