Katie Kerwin
10/1/10
Biology, P.6
Scientific Essay – Matter and Energy
INTRO:
The terms “matter” and “energy” are fairly common in the science world, but
what are they really about? Matter and energy make up our whole planet. Everything
occupying space and containing mass is considered matter. Energy is defined in many
cases as the capacity for doing work. Matter and energy make up a huge part of biology
as well as nearly everything in our universe.
DEFINING MATTER AND ATOMS
Matter is defined as anything that occupies space and also contains mass. This
includes inanimate objects as well as living creatures. Basically, everything is made of
matter. Matter itself is made up of atoms (or molecules). There are roughly 92 kinds of
atoms. Atoms are made up of smaller particles called subatomic particles. These
particles are known as protons, neutrons, and electrons. Protons are particles with a
positive electrical charge. Neutrons are particles with no electrical charge. Electrons are
particles with a negative electrical charge. The protons and neutrons of an atom are
located in the atom’s nucleus. Electrons orbit around the nucleus. Most of the atomic
mass is in the nucleus.
STATES OF MATTER
There are a total of four states of matter, but only three of them are common
forms that we see everyday in life. These three states of matter are a solid state, liquid
state, and a gas state. Particles in a solid state of matter are tightly linked to define a
shape. It has a fixed volume and shape. Particles of a liquid are not as tight together, so
they move more freely. It does not have a fixed shape because the particles are able to
move more. Particles of a gas move the most rapidly out of the three and are much
farther apart.
Temperature also affects the state of matter of an
object. The higher the temperature, the faster the atoms
move. Heat can be added to change the state of something
(also known as thermal energy). As an easy example of how
this works, look at water. Water in a solid state is ice. Ice is
solid and must be at a freezing temperature to maintain this
way. If thermal energy is added, the ice melts and becomes
water, the liquid state of this matter. If even more thermal
energy is added, the water becomes steam that is the gas state
of this matter. The more this matter is heated up, the faster the atoms move, changing its
state with more and more heat.
FORMS OF ENERGY
There are five basic forms of energy that concern biology. The first form of
energy is mechanical energy. This type of energy includes both kinetic and potential
energy. Kinetic energy is the energy of motion. It exists when an object is in motion.
Potential energy is the stored energy that an object potentially has. Potential energy can
be converted into other forms of energy, such as kinetic energy.
The next form of energy is chemical energy. Chemical energy is created through
reactions in chemical compounds. This is when the bonds between some atoms may
break and a chemical reaction occurs. Chemical energy can be stored and used, and it’s
the easiest source of energy to obtain. Chemical energy is something we use everyday,
biologically. It happens when we eat food. The molecules, or particles, in the food get
broken down, so bonds break, and we receive chemical energy from this that we store
and use everyday. Chemical energy is important to living creatures in this way.
Another form of energy is electrical.
Electrical energy is the flow of an electric charge.
Electrical energy is what happens when there is
an interaction of subatomic particles with
electromagnetic force. As stated before, electrons
and protons create an electrical charge in an
atom, and this can be transferred between
substances using something that conducts
electricity, like a wire. We see electrical energy
all the time, such as when we see lightening in
the sky.
The last two main forms of energy are nuclear and radiant. Nuclear energy is
produced in two ways. One is when large nuclei are split to release energy and the other
is small nuclei being combined to release energy. This form of energy has a natural and
man-made form. Naturally, stars make heat and light by nuclear reactions. In a manmade form, nuclear reactors are used to power cities. Radiant energy comes from
electromagnetic waves. These can be waves from x-rays, microwaves, and even light.
Radiant energy is used by energy from the sun to heat things and to treat medical
problems that involve the muscles.
MATTER AND ENERGY WORKING TOGETHER
Matter and energy go hand in hand no matter what kind of science you’re
studying, but in biology, it’s all about how they work together in living and non-living
things. Everything is made out of matter, but matter cannot move simply on its own.
That is where energy comes into play. Energy is what makes matter move in living
things. In non-living things, the energy there is the potential energy. It cannot move on
its own, but for example, if you have a rock on a table, it has the potential energy to fall if
the table is removed, and will fall if the table is removed. In living things, chemical
energy is used to make the matter animated.
MATTER AND ENERGY IN OUR WORLD
Matter and energy are incredibly important to our planet and our universe. Matter
makes up everything we know, both living and nonliving. Understanding matter and
energy is incredibly important because they are the foundation for everything. Anything
can be based off of matter or energy, so investigations and ideas can be built off of the
knowledge of matter and energy.
CONCLUSION
Matter makes up everything in our universe, even inanimate objects. Everything
has energy. Together, matter and energy create the basics of scientific knowledge.
Investigating other questions in biology becomes easier with the knowledge of what
everything essentially is.
References
-http://web.jjay.cuny.edu/~acarpi/NSC/2-matter.htm
-http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/chapter6.html
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-http://www.ifpaenergyconference.com/Chemical-Energy.html
-http://library.thinkquest.org/3471/nuclear_energy.html
-http://www.solarsam.com/images/battery_circuit.JPG
-Modern Biology: Teacher's Resources. Austin, TX: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1999. Print.