Energy Basics
What is energy?
The ability to cause change or do work.
What does a battery store?
Chemical energy
What energy does a candle's wax contain?
Chemical energy
Complete the path: battery --> _______ --->light energy
Electrical energy/electric current.
Name one problem that can happen during a blackout?
There may be no light, appliances may lose power, heating/cooling may stop, or devices may not recharge normally.
What is energy transfer?
What happens to a battery's energy in a flashlight?
Chemical energy is transferred into electrical energy and then into light energy
What happens to the chemical energy in a candle?
It is transformed into light and heat.
Complete the solar flashlight path: sunlight--> solar panel--> ______ --> battery/storage---> electric current--> light
electrical energy
What does a hand crank do?
Motion energy from turning the crank can be transferred into electrical energy and stored in a battery.
What is electrical energy?
Energy that can move through a circuit or wires as an electric current.
How does an LED flashlight produce light?
Battery-stored energy is transferred electrically and transformed into light.
How does a glow stick make light?
Chemical energy is transformed into light through a chemical reaction.
What do a candle and a flashlight have in common?
Both use stored energy that is transformed into light.
Why could a hand crank light be useful during a blackout?
It can use motion energy to produce electrical energy without depending on the electrical grid.
What is electric current?
A flow or movement of electric charge that transfers electrical energy.
What happens when a battery is used in a device?
Stored chemical energy is transformed as electrical energy to the device.
How does a solar flashlight get its energy?
Sunlight is converted to electrical energy and stored in a battery.
How are a candle and flashlight different?
A candle uses chemical energy stored in wax; a flashlight uses battery energy and an electric current.
Why could a solar powered or rechargeable design be strong for a long blackout?
It can obtain and restore energy without relying on the electrical grid.
What is light energy?
Energy carried by light; devices can transform other forms of energy into light.
Why can a battery flashlight be useful during a blackout?
It can provide light without relying on the electrical grid, as long as the battery has energy.
How is a rechargeable lantern different from a regular battery flashlight?
It stores energy in a rechargeable battery that can be recharged from an electrical source.
Why is an energy path useful for understanding a device?
It shows how energy changes from and moves through the device to produce light or another result.
What should you consider when choosing the best blackout flashlight design?
The energy source/storage, the blackout conditions, cost, and duration.