Forms of Energy Conversions: use the back of this page for drawing if you need more
room.
There are six forms of energy: thermal (heat), electrical (moving electrons),
electromagnetic (light), nuclear (energy that binds the nuclei of atoms), chemical and
mechanical (a kind of kinetic energy of moving machines – including people moving
too). Recall also that all energy no matter what form is either kinetic (being used - in
motion and potential (energy stored and waiting to be used).
1. Energy can be converted from one form to another. For example when you light a
match the movement of your hand (mechanical energy) of striking the match produces
friction (thermal energy) which activates the sulfur in the match head (chemical energy)
which can be used to light a log on fire (more chemical energy) which can produce heat
and light (thermal energy and (electromagnetic energy). Draw a series of drawings with
arrows to illustrate the sequence above. Label each type of energy.
Here’s another one to draw. A person eats a meal (chemical energy) and pedals a bike
(mechanical energy) which makes the bike move (also mechanical energy) and powers a
generator light - attached to the bike frame, a little wheel rubs against the bike tire and
makes electricity to light a lamp via a wire attached to the handlebars (electrical energy to
electromagnetic energy) to see the road while riding at night.
Now answer these questions.
1. Is food on the shelf a type of potential or kinetic energy? Is food that you just ate a
kind of potential or kinetic energy? What kind of energy (kinetic or potential) is in a rain
cloud before it starts raining? What kind of energy is rain falling to the ground?
2. One of the most important laws of nature is the first law of thermodynamics which
says that energy is totally conserved in any system. In other words when you convert
between forms of energy no energy is lost. But remember that no machine is anywhere
near 100% efficient. So where does most energy go in a machine and any closed system?
What form of energy is friction?