Lesson 1: Forms of
Energy
Objective: recognize and explain
different forms that energy takes
Motion Energy
 Energy that is found in moving things
 The wind, a racing car, or a soaring ball
 Objects that have motion energy can
make things happen
 How can some of these objects cause
something to happen?
 A swinging bat
 A spinning tornado
Chemical Energy
 Energy that is stored in materials
 They type of chemical determines how much energy
the object holds
 Examples: food, batteries, dynamite, and gasoline
 Chemical energy can be used to make things
happen
 What does the food we eat cause to happen?
 What does the chemical energy in gasoline or
batteries give energy to do?
Gravitational Energy
 Energy that is stored in objects that
can fall
 Examples: water at the top of a
waterfall or a wagon at the top of a hill
 When objects fall, their gravitational
energy is changed into other forms
 Usually energy in motion
 Makes things happen
 Like moving you and your wagon down the
hill or getting a rollercoaster around a loop
Elastic Energy
 Energy stored in:
 stretchy objects when they are stretched
 Springy objects when they are compressed
(squashed down)
 When these stretched or compressed
objects are released, the elastic energy
changes to other forms
 Usually energy in motion
 Making things happen
 What are some examples of elastic energy
that make things happen?
Heat Energy
 The energy something has because of its
temperature
 The higher the temperature, the more heat it
has
 Heat energy is used every day to make
things happen
 What are some examples?
Light Energy
 Energy carried by light rays
 We depend on light energy each day to
make things happen.
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What would Earth be like without light?
How is light important to our sight?
How do doctors use light?
How do we use light for power?
Electrical Energy
 Energy that electricity provides
 The modern world runs on electrical energy.
 How would your day be different without
electrical energy?
 What are some things you use every day that
require electrical energy?
Sound Energy
 Energy carried by sound waves
 Ways we depend on sound energy:
 Allows us to hear
 Used to look inside the body during
ultrasound exams
 Instruments vibrating to make sound energy
so we can hear music