Energy

Energy Store Description Changes in stores example

Keyword Definition

Proportion of supplied energy which is Magnetic Energy due to the force of 4

Efficiency transferred usefully (carries out intended attraction (or repulsion)
task) between 2 magnets
3 5
Elastic Energy stored in a stretched
Energy can be transferred usefully, spring or stretched elastic band
Energy
transfer
stored or dissipated but cannot be 2
created or destroyed Nuclear Energy contained within the 6
nucleus of an atom
1
A material with a low thermal Gravitational Energy an object has due to its
Insulator
conductivity potential position from the ground

Power c
Rate at which energy is transferred in Electrostatic Energy due to the force of
attraction (or repulsion) In this case the system is the catapult, the angry bird projectile
unit time
between 2 charged objects and the target blocks. The energy stored in the stretched catapult
is the maximum amount of energy available.
A resource which can be replenished as it Thermal Energy a substance has due to
Renewable
is being used its temperature 1 = Elastic potential energy is stored in the stretched catapult
Chemical Energy found in fuels, foods or 2 = The elastic store (Ee) decreases and is transferred to the
System A group of objects which interact batteries. kinetic store (Ek) in the bird
3 = As the height increases the gravitational potential energy
Thermal A measure of how fast heat can transfer Kinetic Energy an object has because it store (Ep) increases and the kinetic store(Ek) is decreasing
conductivity through a material is moving 4 = At the top of the trajectory the Ep is at a maximum and the Ek
is at a minimum
5 = As the projectile falls the Ep store will decrease and the Ek will
A measure of energy when a force moves Kinetic energy
Work done an object through a distance The kinetic energy (Ek) of an object (also known as
increase again Gravitational potential energy
6 = The bird is back to the original height, so the Ep has reduced The gravitational potential energy (Ep) of an object (also known
its kinetic store) is defined as: to zero and the Ek is back at a maximum as its gravitational store) is defined as:
For calculations we assume perfect energy transfers, however no
The energy an object has due its mass and speed energy transfer is perfect in reality and some energy will be
Energy system The energy an object has due to its height in a gravitational
• Energy will often be described as part of an energy system transferred to the surroundings (dissipated) as thermal energy field
This means that any object in motion has kinetic into the thermal energy store. When producing a physics model
• In physics, a system is defined as: energy
This means:
An object or group of objects for a game such as angry birds only perfect energy transfers will If an object is lifted up it will gain Ep
• When describing the changes within a system, only the be considered. If it falls, it will lose Ep
objects or group of objects and the surroundings need to
be considered
• A system, for example, can be closed or open Thermal conductivity Ep =m x g x h
• An open system allows the exchange of The thermal conductivity of a material is a measure of its ability
energy and matter to or from its surroundings Power to conduct heat. The direction of heat transfer is hot to cold
• A closed system can exchange energy but not Power is the rate at which energy is transferred. The higher the thermal conductivity of a material, the higher
matter to or from its surroundings In other words, power is the rate of doing work. the rate of energy transfer by conduction across the material
Energy Energy The unit of power is the watt, W Materials with high thermal conductivity heat up faster than
A power rating of one watt means one joule of materials with low thermal conductivity.
energy is transferred per second, If a house was built of materials with a high thermal conductivity,
or 1 joule of work is done in 1 second. they would be very cold to live in as thermal energy would be
Matter Energy dissipation
1 watt = 1 joule per second 1W = 1 J/s able to leave the house easily.
Dissipation is a term that is often used to describe ways in which
energy is wasted. Any energy that is not transferred to useful
Energy Resources Renewable Transport Electricity Heating Reliable Produces CO2 Environmental impact energy stores is said to be wasted because it is lost to the
generation surroundings
Fossil fuels ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Greenhouse effect, pollutant gases A mechanical brake applies a friction force to convert the kinetic
Nuclear fuel ✔ ✔ Waste storage, accidents have long lasting effect energy of the vehicle into thermal energy which then dissipates
into the atmosphere.
Biofuel ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Farmland could be used for food
Wind ✔ ✔ ✔ Noisy. Some think wind farms are ugly
Hydro-electricity ✔ ✔ ✔ Dams flood farmland, loss of habitat Useful YouTube links:
Geothermal ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Large ugly buildings, loss of habitat
Tidal ✔ ✔ Can affect life in estuaries, change/affect habitat
Solar ✔ ✔ ✔ Mining of rare metals for solar cells
Wave ✔ ✔ Can affect sea life Energy resources Energy stores Power