light

ENERGY
Energy produces all the changes around us. We can take energy from

sound
heat
movement
e

It can change from one form to another too. For example, when you turn on a light, the electricity transforms into
light and thermal energy.

property (and definition)

Heat

Light

examples

conductor (can transfer heat

quickly and effectively.
insulator (does not transfer heat
very effectively).
opaque (does not allow any light to
pass through).
translucent (allows only some light
to pass through).
transparent (allows almost all light
to pass through).

metals (cooper, gold and iron).

wool, wood and plastic.
Wood, rubber and metals
cellophane, frosted glass and some
plastics.
clear glass and plastics.

We can't always perceive the energy, but it's all around us. Energy gives uslight, sound and heat. It also makes
things move and powers machines.

Different forms of energy

- light energy.
- chemical energy.
- sound energy.
- kinetic energy.
- electrical energy.
- thermal energy.

Light energy
Most of the light on Earth comes from the Sun.
- Light sources can be natural (stars) or artificial (bulbs

and torches

).

- Light travels very fast, at 300 000 km/second.

- It's made up of 7 different colours. Light illuminates
objects so we can see its shapes, colours and sizes.

- It always travels in straight line. When it hits

something, light can be absorbed, reflected or
refracted, depending on the surface it hits.
When it's absorbed, it transforms into thermal
energy.

When light hits an opaque

object, some colours are
absorbed and others are
reflected. The colour we
see is the colour that the
object reflects.

Chemical energy
It occurs when a chemical reaction takes place. When a car burns petrol, a chemical reaction occurs between
the petrol and oxygen. This chemical energy is transformed into kinetic energy.

Batteries and food are sources of chemical energy too.

Sound energy
It's a vibration and can travel in any direction from the source.
Vibrating objects transmit these vibrations into the air. The vibrations move through the air until they reach our
ear. We perceive large vibrations as loud sounds and small vibrations as soft sounds.
Sound can travel very quickly, but not as fast as light.
Sound can travel through gases, liquids and solids, even if they even if
they are opaque.
Sound can't travel through a vacuum because in a vacuum there are no
particles to vibrate.

Kinetic energy
All moving things have kinetic energy. It is produced through motion or movement. The heavier an object is, and
the fastest it moves, the more kinetic energy it has.

Examples: a moving car, a windsurfer or your bike when it is in movement. Living things have kinetic energy too.

Electrical energy
It is used to power machines. We can transform it into light, sound, heat and movement.
The energy to generate electricity comes from different sources: renewable (sunlight, wind, water and biomass)
and non-renewable (fossil fuels or uranium, produced in nuclear power stations).

Thermal energy
This energy flows from a warm substance to a cooler substance. This flow of thermal energy is called heat. A
change in the thermal energy of a substance can also make the substance change state.
The main source of heat on Earth is the Sun. Other sources are fossil fuels (to warm houses or cook food). They
come from under the ground: coal, oil, gas.

Temperature is NOT the same

as heat.
Temperature is the measurement
of how hot or cold something is.
Heat is the flow of energy from a
warm substance to a cold substance.

Solar energy
Wind energy
Water energy

Renewable energy
sources

Biomass
Geothermal energy
Energy sources

Fossil fuels
Non-renewable energy sources
Nuclear power

Renewable energy sources can be replaced, so they will never run out.
Solar energy

Wind energy

This energy doesn't pollute.

It is a clean energy.

It uses solar panels that can

It uses wind turbines that

only be used in sunny climates.

only work in windy places.

They can also damage habitats and kill birds.

Water energy

Geothermal energy

It doesnt create pollution, but the

Geothermal energy is heat produced

construction of dams damages habitats

by the decomposition of underground

and causes biodiversity loss.

radioactive substances.
Geothermal energy is renewable
and isnt contaminating, but its
limited to certain geographic
areas.

Biomass
Biomass is organic material derived from living things, such as wood, dried vegetation or food waste.
It is burned in power stations to boil water. This produces steam, which turns a turbine and generates
electricity.
Biomass is renewable but, unfortunately, burning biomass causes air pollution and contributes to global
warming.
We usually use biomass pellets.

Biomass pellets.

Non-renewable energy sources are limited. It is practically impossible to regenerate them. Fossil fuels and
uranium are non-renewable energy sources.
Fossil fuels as coal, oil (and its products) and natural gas. They are a product of decomposed organic material
that has been deep underground for millions of years. If we use up these energy sources, they can't be replaced
in a very long time.
Coal: it is pollutant.
It produces large quantities of energy.
Burning coal is a cause of global warning.

Oil: oil spills can cause ecological disasters.

The combustion of them cause global warming
and air pollution. It is easy to transport and store.

Uranium
Nuclear power stations use uranium (a radioactive metal) instead of fossil fuels to generate electricity.
Uranium is non-renewable but we have enough uranium to generate
electricity for many centuries. Nuclear power stations are expensive
and they also produce dangerous radioactive waste products.
Radioactivity is harmful to humans because it causes cancer.

Fresh water is essential for all living things and should be considered our most important renewable
resource. The worlds population is continually growing but the amount of water stays the same. Today this
valuable resource is becoming harder and harder to find.
Electricity
All objects contain electrical charges which can be positive or negative.
If an object contains more positive charges than negative charges, it has a positive charge.
If an object contains more negative charges than positive charges, it has a negative charge.
Objects with opposite electrical charges attract each other. Objects with the same electrical charge repel each
other.
Materials can be electrical conductors (metals,
such as copper and aluminium) or
electrical insulators (wood, rubber, glass, wool,
cotton and plastic).

There are two types of electricity; current electricity and static electricity.
Current electricity
When an electrical charge moves in an electrical conductor, we have current electricity. Electrical currents flow
through conductors. An electrical charge cant easily move through electrical insulators.
An electrical circuit is made up of different parts which are all connected together. An electrical current can only
pass through a circuit that is closed.

Static electricity
Static electricity is a form of electricity that doesnt flow. For example, a lightning
or your hair sticking up
in the air after having been brushed
. We can produce static electricity when we rub two non-metal
objects together.
Magnetism
A magnet is an object which can attract certain metals. Magnetism is the ability to attract these metals.
Magnets can be natural or man-made.
The mineral magnetite is a natural magnet.
Magnets have two poles, at the two ends of the magnets, which attract metal objects. The poles are called
the north pole (N) and the south pole (S). If you break a magnet into two parts, each part will also have a north
pole and a south pole.
The Earth behaves like a huge magnet; this is because the Earths core is
made up of liquid metals, such as iron. The Earths magnetic north pole is
in the Arctic and its magnetic south pole is in the Antarctic. The needle on
a compass, which is also a magnet, always points to
the magnetic north pole.