Energy
Transferring energy
You might not realize it, but you have a large amount of energy.
Potential energy
is
the energy stored in an
object because of its position.
nuclear energy
that can be transformed into other forms of energy. However, releasing nuclear
energy is a difficult process.
renewable resource
is an energy source that
is replenished continually.
Figure 24A.
The water is then trapped behind a dam.
Energy
energy is the ability to cause make things happen.
the thermal energy
that increases as its temperature
increases. A cup of hot chocolate has more thermal energy than
a cup of cold water, as shown in Figure 4.
law of conservation of energy,
energy is never created or
destroyed. The only thing that changes is the form in which
energy appears. When the biker is resting at the summit, all his
original energy is still around.
alternative resources.
These alternative resources include solar energy, wind, and geo-
thermal energy.
Figure 24B.
Each day electric power is generated for about ten
hours when the tide is rising and falling.
Kinetic energy
Kinetic energy is the energy an object has due to its motion.
Chemical energy
is the energy stored in chemical bonds.
When chemicals are broken apart and new chemicals are
formed, some of this energy is released. The flame of a candle is
the result of chemical energy stored in the wax. When the wax
burns, chemical energy is transformed into thermal energy and
light energy.
generator
is a device that transforms kinetic energy
into electrical energy.
inexhaustible resource
is an
an energy sources that can’t be used up by humans.
Each day, on average, the amount of solar energy that strikes
the United States is more than the total amount of energy used
by the entire country in a year.
Figure 24
A tidal power plant
can generate electricity when the
the tide is coming in and going out.
Figure 2b.
The professional bowler rolls a fast moving bowler ball.
radiant energy
Figure 6 shows a coil of wire
that produces radiant energy when it is heated.
turbine,
turbine, which contains a set of narrowly
spaced fan blades.
photovoltaic
is a device that transforms radiant
energy directly into electrical energy.
Figure 21
This geothermal
the power plant in Nevada produces
enough electricity to power about
50,000 homes.
Figure 2c
you roll a volleyball down the alley instead of a bowling ball.
outlet. Electrical
energy is the energy that is carried by an elec-
trice current. An electric device uses the electric-
cal energy provided by the current flowing in
the device.
nonrenewable resource.
Fossil fuels are
nonrenewable resources.
Figure 23
shows an electric power plant that has been built
along the Bay of Fundy.
Figure 22
The hot water in a
geothermal reservoir is used to
generate electricity in an other-
mal power plant.