Energy Types
What type of energy an object has because it is moving?
Kinetic
Describe the energy transformation in a light bulb
Electric -> Light & Thermal
A wave is a disturbance that ____________ energy
transfers
What two motions of Earth combine to give us day/night and a year (name both motions)
Rotation (spin on axis) and revolution (orbit around the Sun).
What force causes tides on Earth?
Gravity (mainly from the Moon; the Sun also contributes).
Name two forms of potential energy
gravitational potential energy, elastic potential energy, chemical potential energy
Explain how photosynthesis transfers energy from sunlight to stored chemical energy in plants (name the input and stored form).
Plants convert radiant energy into chemical energy
What is the name for the highest point of a transverse wave?
Crest.
What feature of Earth is responsible for seasons?
The tilt of Earth’s axis (about 23.5°) causes seasons by changing the angle and duration of sunlight.
What are spring tides and when do they occur (positions of Sun, Earth, Moon)?
Spring tides occur at new moon and full moon when Sun, Moon, and Earth align; their gravitational forces combine producing higher high tides and lower low tides (larger tidal range).
Give one real-life example of elastic potential energy.
A stretched rubber band (or compressed spring, squashed bouncy ball)
sing an amusement park roller coaster, describe how energy is conserved as the car goes up and down the track
At the top the car has high gravitational PE; as it descends PE converts to kinetic energy (speed increases). Friction and air resistance convert some energy to thermal energy, but total energy is conserved.
Which type of wave (transverse or longitudinal) has particles that move parallel to the direction the wave travels
Longitudinal.
Describe the positions of Earth during summer and winter in the Northern Hemisphere and explain why one is warmer
Summer: Northern Hemisphere tilted toward the Sun → more direct sunlight and longer days → warmer. Winter: tilted away → less direct sunlight and shorter days → colder.
What are neap tides and when do they occur (positions of Sun, Earth, Moon)?
Neap tides occur at first and third quarter moon when Sun and Moon are at right angles relative to Earth; their gravitational effects partially cancel producing smaller tidal range.
Explain how chemical potential energy and kinetic energy are involved when you eat food and then run.
Food contains chemical potential energy; during digestion and metabolism this chemical energy is converted to kinetic energy for muscle movement and to thermal energy (heat).
Describe how energy flows through a food web (start with the Sun)
Sun →->producers (plants convert light to chemical energy) -> consumers
Energy is transferred along the web and some is lost as thermal energy at each transfer
Give one example of a transverse wave and one example of a longitudinal wave
Transverse: waves on a string or light waves; Longitudinal: sound waves or compressions in a slinky.
Explain how Earth’s tilt and its revolution around the Sun produce longer daylight hours in summer for a hemisphere
When tilted toward the Sun, that hemisphere receives sunlight at a higher angle and for more hours each day during revolution, increasing daylight length and energy per area.
Explain why the Moon’s gravity has a bigger effect on tides than the Sun’s gravity even though the Sun is more massive.
Tidal force depends strongly on distance; the Moon is much closer to Earth, so its tidal effect is stronger despite the Sun’s larger mass.
Compare gravitational potential energy and chemical potential energy: where each is stored and what can change them into kinetic energy.
Gravitational PE is stored by an object’s position in a gravitational field (height); chemical PE is stored in chemical bonds (food, fuel). Both can be converted to kinetic energy (a falling object; metabolized food powering motion).
Choose one system (electrical circuit, food web, or photosynthesis). Describe at least two energy transformations and identify where energy is “lost” to the surroundings as less useful energy.
Example — Photosynthesis + eating: sunlight (radiant) → chemical energy in plant glucose (photosynthesis). Animal eats plant: chemical energy → kinetic energy for movement + thermal energy. Energy is “lost” as thermal energy to surroundings
Explain how energy is transferred by a wave without the matter moving long distances
Particles collide and pass energy to neighboring particles
A student claims that Earth is closer to the Sun in summer, therefore it is warmer. Explain why this is incorrect using the concept of tilt and the distribution of sunlight
Seasons are caused mainly by axial tilt, not distance. When a hemisphere tilts toward the Sun its surface receives more direct sunlight and longer days, making it warmer even if Earth’s distance changes little.
Predict and explain how tidal range (difference between high and low tide) changes when the Moon is at new moon versus first quarter, using gravitational alignment ideas
New moon (aligned with Sun) produces spring tides with larger tidal range. First quarter (right angle) produces neap tides with smaller tidal range.