Energy transformations
Teacher’s notes
This activity shows a set of three incomplete energy transformation
diagrams, each accompanied by a choice of energy types that could
be used to complete the diagram.
This is a teacher-led class activity requiring guidance from the teacher
and class discussion about how the diagrams should be completed.
You may like to ask students to jot down the answers they think are right
before you reveal the correct answer.
Carbon Footprint Toolkit
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Energy transformations
Carbon Footprint Toolkit
www.bp.com/bpes/cft2009
Energy transformations
Where does the energy we use actually come from?
In the following activity you will be shown some incomplete energy
transformation diagrams.
Choose the correct phrases from the bottom of the screen to fill in
the gaps.
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Coal fired electricity generation
Choose which types of energy need to go in the empty boxes
to complete the energy transformation diagram.
?
Chemical potential
energy in
buried coal
?
Kinetic energy of
spinning turbine
?
Electrical energy
c. Kinetic energy of
the wind
Carbon Footprint Toolkit
Kinetic energy of
high pressure
steam
a. Elastic potential
energy of a rubber
band
b. Light energy
from the sun
d. Chemical
potential energy
in living plants
e. Thermal (heat)
energy from
burning coal
f. Gravitational
potential energy
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Coal fired electricity generation
Did you get it right?
b. Light energy
from the sun
?
c. Kinetic energy of
the wind
Kinetic energy of
spinning turbine
?
Chemical potential
energy in
buried coal
e. Thermal (heat)
energy from
burning coal
?
Kinetic energy of
high pressure
steam
Electrical energy
a. Elastic potential
energy of a rubber
band
d. Chemical
potential energy
in living plants
Carbon Footprint Toolkit
f. Gravitational
potential energy
www.bp.com/bpes/cft2009
Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels
Choose which types of energy need to go in the empty boxes
to complete the energy transformation diagram
Light energy from
the sun
a. Elastic potential
energy of a rubber
band
b. Nuclear energy
e. Electrical energy
Carbon Footprint Toolkit
?
c. Thermal (heat)
energy from the
burning coal
f. Kinetic energy of
the wind
d. Gravitational
potential energy
g. Chemical
potential energy
in living plants
www.bp.com/bpes/cft2009
Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels
Did you get it right?
Light energy from
the sun
a. Elastic potential
energy of a rubber
band
b. Nuclear energy
e. Electrical energy
?
c. Thermal (heat)
energy from the
burning coal
f. Kinetic energy of
the wind
Carbon Footprint Toolkit
d. Gravitational
potential energy
g. Chemical
potential energy
in living plants
www.bp.com/bpes/cft2009
Wind power
Choose which types of energy need to go in the empty boxes
to complete the energy transformation diagram
Thermal (heat)
energy from the sun
a. Kinetic energy of
the wind
d. Electrical energy
Carbon Footprint Toolkit
?
Kinetic energy of
turbine and
generator
b. Gravitational
potential energy
e. Chemical
potential energy
of organic matter
?
c. Sound energy
of the wind
f. Nuclear energy
www.bp.com/bpes/cft2009
Wind power
Did you get it right?
Thermal (heat)
energy from the sun
a. Kinetic energy of
the wind
?
Kinetic energy of
Turbine and
generator
b. Gravitational
potential energy
e. Chemical
potential energy
of organic matter
Carbon Footprint Toolkit
d. Electrical energy
?
c. Sound energy
of the wind
f. Nuclear energy
www.bp.com/bpes/cft2009
Sun power
Did you notice that all three methods of generating electricity shown
on the previous slides use energy which first came from the Sun?
In fact, most of the energy we use first came from the Sun. Take a look
at the list of energy resources below and see if you can figure out which
ones didn’t first start with energy from the Sun.
a. Wave power
generators
d. Geothermal
borehole energy
Carbon Footprint Toolkit
e. Nuclear power
stations
b. Biomass power
stations
c. Oil-fired power
stations
f. Gas-fired power
stations
g. Hydroelectric
power stations
www.bp.com/bpes/cft2009
Sun power
You might be surprised that only two of these methods of generating
electricity do not rely on the energy for the Sun.
Have a go at drawing your own energy transformations diagrams
for them.
a. Wave power
generators
d. Geothermal
borehole energy
Carbon Footprint Toolkit
e. Nuclear power
stations
b. Biomass power
stations
c. Oil-fired power
stations
f. Gas-fired power
stations
g. Hydro-electric
power stations
www.bp.com/bpes/cft2009
Carbon Footprint Toolkit
www.bp.com/bpes/cft2009