Forms of Energy

Forms of Energy

Mechanical Energy

  • Mechanical energy is the sum of an object’s potential and kinetic energies.
  • It’s involved in the movement or position of objects.

Gravitational Potential Energy

  • Gravitational potential energy is the energy an object has due its position in a gravitational field. It is dependent on its mass, height and gravitational field strength.
  • It can be calculated using the formula: E_p = mgh, where E_p is the potential energy, m is mass, g is gravitational strength and h is height.

Kinetic Energy

  • Kinetic energy is the energy an object possesses due to its motion. It’s dependent on mass and speed.
  • The formula is E_k = 1/2mv^2, where E_k is kinetic energy, m is mass and v is speed.

Thermal Energy

  • Thermal energy (often confused with heat) is derived from the motion of tiny particles within an object and the work done when a force moves an object.
  • It’s the total of all kinetic and potential energies within an object.

Chemical Energy

  • Chemical energy is stored in bonds of chemical compounds and is released during chemical reactions. Examples include batteries and digestion of food.

Electrical Energy

  • Electrical energy is kinetic energy caused by moving electric charges, electrons.
  • This energy may be converted to other forms (like light, heat, and mechanical energy) through electric appliances.

Light Energy

  • Light energy, or radiant energy, is a form of electromagnetic radiation. The sunlight is a most common example of light energy.

Sound Energy

  • Sound energy is the energy produced by vibrating sound waves which are transmitted through a medium (air, water, or any other liquid or solid matter).

Nuclear Energy

  • Nuclear energy is the energy released during nuclear reactions (fission or fusion). It’s often used to generate electricity in nuclear power plants.

Conservation of Energy

  • The law of conservation of energy or the first law of thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it can be transferred from one form to another or transformed.
  • This means the total energy in a closed system is always constant.

Energy Transformations

  • Energy transformation or energy conversion is the process of changing one form of energy to another.
  • An example is a bulb turning electrical energy into light energy.