Mastering Energy Stores & Transfers
Mastering Energy Stores & Transfers
Items in this lesson
Mastering Energy Stores & Transfers
What do you already know about energy in different forms?
Learning Objective
At the end of the lesson you will understand the main types of energy stores and transfers, be able to identify examples, and describe how energy changes form.
What Are Energy Stores?
Energy stores are places where energy is held, like a battery or stretched elastic band. Energy can move between these stores but cannot be created or destroyed.
The Main Energy Stores
Chemical, thermal, kinetic, gravitational potential, elastic potential, nuclear, electrostatic, and magnetic energy are the eight main stores.
Examples of Energy Stores
Moving objects, such as a car or a thrown ball.
Fuels, foods, and batteries.
Kinetic
Chemical
Gravitational Potential Energy
Stored in objects raised above the ground. The higher or heavier the object, the greater the store.
Elastic Potential Energy
Stored when an object is stretched or compressed, like springs and elastic bands.
Thermal Energy Store
Related to temperature. All objects have it; hotter objects store more thermal energy.
Other Types of Stores
Nuclear (in atomic nuclei), electrostatic (between charges), and magnetic (between magnets) are less common but important in science.
What Are Energy Transfers?
Energy moves from one store to another through mechanical work, electrical work, heating, and by radiation (like light and sound).
Mechanical Energy Transfer
When a force moves an object, energy is transferred mechanically. For example, pushing a car or turning a crank.
Electrical Energy Transfer
Energy is transferred by electrical currents, such as in wires powering a lamp.
Heating and Energy
Heating transfers thermal energy from a hotter object to a colder one, like boiling water or using a radiator.
Energy Transfer by Radiation
Energy can transfer as waves, like light from a bulb or sound from a speaker.
Conservation of Energy
Key Principle
Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or stored.
Real World Example
When you drop a ball, gravitational energy becomes kinetic energy as it falls.
Wasted vs Useful Energy
Not all transferred energy is useful. Some is lost to the surroundings, often as heat.
Energy Dissipation
Dissipated energy spreads out and becomes less useful, such as heat from a lamp or car engine.
Energy Flow Diagrams
Interpreting Diagrams
Show the flow of energy and efficiency using arrows of different thickness.
The wider the arrow, the more energy is transferred by that pathway.
Sankey Diagrams
Making Appliances More Efficient
Lubrication, insulation, and new technology reduce energy wasted as heat, making devices more efficient.
Quick Recap
Energy is stored in many forms and transferred by different methods. Conservation of energy is key!
Information Sheet
Review the attached information sheet summarising types of energy stores, transfers, and their key characteristics. Use it for revision.
Study Paper & Homework
Complete the study questions and practice task included. Bring your answers to the next lesson for feedback and discussion.
Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.
Write down 2 things you want to know more about.
Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.
