DULWICH COLLEGE SHANGHAI

IGCSE PHYSICS ENERGY RESOURCES AND ENERGY TRANSFER DEFINITIONS AND CONCEPTS
FORMS OF ENERGY: Energy is transferred from one form to another whenever any change happens. forms of energy include chemical, nuclear, light, sound, magnetic, thermal, electrical, kinetic and potential. Measured in joules. CONSERVATION OF ENERGY Energy is never created nor destroyed, it just transfers from one form to another. EFFICIENCY: A measure of the fraction of useful work a machine does.

ENERGY FLOW (SANKEY) DIAGRAMS: A diagram which shows the energy transfers in a system and its environment. THERMAL ENERGY TRANSFER: Thermal energy can be transferred by conduction, convection and radiation. CONDUCTION: Occurs chiefly in solids, by interaction between the particles which transfers thermal energy. CONVECTION: Occurs in fluids (liquids and gases), warm fluid expands and rises and is replaced by less dense cooler fluid which sinks RADIATION: Does not require a medium. Energy is transferred by electromagnetic radiation traveling at the speed of light. THERMAL INSULATION: Materials which slow down the transfer of thermal energy. WORK: Work is done when a force moves.

WORK AND ENERGY: The work done is a measure of the amount of energy transferred. JOULE (J): The unit of work and energy. 1 joule is the work done when a force of 1 newton moves through 1 metre. 1J = 1Nm GRAVITATIONAL POTENTIAL ENERGY: Energy which an object has due to its position in a gravitational field.

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ELASTIC POTENTIAL ENERGY: Energy which an elastic object has when it is stretched or squashed. KINETIC ENERGY: Energy which an object has due to its motion.

POWER: The rate of doing work or the rate of transferring work from one form to another.

WATT: The unit of power. 1 watt = 1 joule per second. RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES: These cannot be exhausted and are generally non-polluting. eg solar, wind, wave, tidal, hydroelectric, geothermal, biomass. NON-RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES: Once used up, these cannot be replaced. eg oil, natural gas, coal.