There are 2 basic forms of energy:
- potential energy = is stored energy waiting to be used
- kinetic energy = is energy in motion
Energy is captured in many forms:
- Electrical energy is the movement of charged particles, negative (-) and positive (+). It can come from batteries or power plants and it can also be found in nature. Power plants burn fuel to make electricity which is then sent to homes and businesses through wires.
- Chemical energy is stored in the particles that make up food, fuel and other matter. The food you eat gives chemical energy which allows you to walk, run and move.
- Light energy comes from the Sun. Plants use it to make food and scientists use it to create lasers.
- Mechanical energy is matter in motion. An airplane soaring through the sky has mechanical energy just like the wind or a flowing river. Sound is another type of mechanical energy.
- Thermal energy comes from the motion of tiny particles in matter. The faster the particles move, the warmer the matter can get. Examples of thermal energy are stoves and matches.
- Nuclear energy is formed when tiny particles called atoms split apart (fission) or join together (fusion). The Sun’s energy is produced from nuclear reaction.
Force and Motion
motion - is a change in position
speed - is how fast an object's position changes
force - is any push or pull form one object to another
gravity - is the force of attraction, or pull, between two objects
friction - is the force that opposes the motion
A force that acts on an object without changing its motion is called balanced force.
A force that causes an object to change its motion is called an unbalanced force.