FORMS OF ENERGY

Vocabulary PreviewMrs. Mullins

Grade 3

Energy• usable power that comes from heat,

electricity, etc

Light

• the form of energy that makes it possible to see things : the brightness produced by the sun, by fire, a lamp, etc

Heat• energy that causes things to become warmer

Sound

• something that is heard

Breaking the “sound barrier”

Electrical Energy• energy made available by the flow of electric

charge through a conductor

Mechanical Energy

• Mechanical Energy is the energy of motion that does the work. An example of mechanical energy is the wind as it turns a windmill.

• A combination of kinetic and potential energy resulting from the force of gravity or the movement or release of a machine component, such as a spring, clamp, or wheel.

Potential Energy

• energy that is stored within an object, not in motion but capable of becoming active

• Potential Energy is stored energy. Examples of potential energy are oil sitting in a barrel, or water in a lake in the mountains. This energy is referred to as potential energy, because if it were released, it would do a lot of work.

Kinetic Energy

• energy of motion, observable as the movement of an object, particle, or set of particles

• Kinetic Energy is energy that is in motion. Moving water and wind are good examples of kinetic energy. Electricity is also kinetic energy because even though you can't see it happen, electricity involves electrons moving in conductors

Potential vs Kinetic

Temperature

• the degree of hotness or coldness of a body or environment

Renewable Resources

• any natural resource (as wood or solar energy) that can be replenished naturally with the passage of time

Non-Renewable Resources

• A non-renewable resource is a natural resource which cannot be produced, re-grown, regenerated, or reused on a scale which can sustain its consumption rate. These resources often exist in a fixed amount, or are consumed much faster than nature can recreate them

• Primary examples of non-renewable energy resources are the fossil fuels--oil, natural gas, and coal

Reflect

• Reflection is most likely the property of light that we experience most often. Looking at yourself in a mirror, seeing the reflection of the sun in the ocean at sunset, and the sight of a mirage on the hot desert sand are all examples of reflection. In fact, everything you can see is the result of a complex pattern of light reflecting off the surface of something.

Refract

• the bending of a wave path, as of light or sound, at the boundary between two different mediums.

Absorb

• to take in (something, such as a liquid/light) in a natural or gradual way

• to draw in (heat, light, energy, etc.) ▪ The walls are made of a material that absorbs sound. ▪ absorbing heat from the sun

Medium

• a surrounding condition or environment ▪ Example: Ocean fish live in a medium of salt water.

Light Waves

• Visible light waves are the only electromagnetic waves we can see. We see these waves as the colors of the rainbow

Thermal Energy

• Thermal energy is the kinetic energy of the movement of atoms and molecules.

• Thermal Energy is the kind of energy that is related to and/or caused by heat. When thermal energy is applied to a substance, the average velocity of the particles or molecules which make up the substance increases -- and it gets warmer!

Thermal Energy

• When you boil a pot of water, you are contributing thermal energy or heat to the bottom of the pot. This thermal energy is then transferred to the water inside the pot. As the water molecules move faster, they begin to get hotter. As they move faster and faster, each one tries to leap away from its neighbors and into the surrounding air to form of water vapor, or steam. Once the water starts boiling, it turns into steam very quickly!

Convection

• Convection is the transfer of heat by the actual movement of the warmed matter. Heat leaves the coffee cup as the currents of steam and air rise. Convection is the transfer of heat energy in a gas or liquid by movement of currents. (It can also happen is some solids, like sand.) The heat moves with the fluid. Consider this: convection is responsible for making macaroni rise and fall in a pot of heated water. The warmer portions of the water are less dense and therefore, they rise. Meanwhile, the cooler portions of the water fall because they are denser.

Radiation• Radiation: Electromagnetic waves that directly transport

ENERGY through space. Sunlight is a form of radiation that is radiated through space to our planet without the aid of fluids or solids. The energy travels through nothingness! Just think of it! The sun transfers heat through 93 million miles of space. Because there are no solids (like a huge spoon) touching the sun and our planet, conduction is not responsible for bringing heat to Earth. Since there are no fluids (like air and water) in space, convection is not responsible for transferring the heat. Thus, radiation brings heat to our planet.

Conduction• Conduction is the transfer of energy through matter from

particle to particle. It is the transfer and distribution of heat energy from atom to atom within a substance. For example, a spoon in a cup of hot soup becomes warmer because the heat from the soup is conducted along the spoon. Conduction is most effective in solids-but it can happen in fluids. Fun fact: Have you ever noticed that metals tend to feel cold? Believe it or not, they are not colder! They only feel colder because they conduct heat away from your hand. You perceive the heat that is leaving your hand as cold.

Insulator

• a material that allows little or no heat, electricity, or sound to go into or out of something ▪ Metal is not a good insulator.

Friction

• the act of rubbing one thing against another• You could not walk without the friction between

your shoes and the ground. As you try to step forward, you push your foot backward. Friction holds your shoe to the ground, allowing you to walk. Consider how difficult it is to walk on slippery ice, where there is little friction.

Heat

• energy that causes things to become warmer(example) The sun's heat melted the snow.