Basics of Energy

ENERGY

BY LUKE GALAN

GIVE YOUR OWN THOUGHTS

WHAT IS ENERGY?

Open Ended

In your opinion, what is energy?

ENERGY IS A NONMATERIAL CONCEPT USED TO DESCRIBE SYMMETRY IN THE UNIVERSE.

NO SINGLE PARTICLE OF ENERGY EXISTS.

ENERGY IS A NECESSARY TOOL IN DESCRIBING THE UNIVERSE.

ENERGY IS THE MONEY OF THE UNIVERSE.

Multiple Choice

Why couldn't scientists find any particle for energy?

• Because no such particle actually exists.

• Because they were looking in the wrong places.

• Because they didn't have the technology.

• They did find a particle of energy.

TWO FORMS OF ENERGY

POTENTIAL ENERGY & KINETIC ENERGY

ENERGY STORED IN AN OBJECT DUE TO ITS POSITION.
MEASURED IN JOULES (J).

PE_g = m g h

POTENTIAL ENERGY

ENERGY IN AN OBJECT THAT IS MOVING.
MEASURED IN JOULES (J).

KE = ¹/₂ m v²

KINETIC ENERGY

Multiple Choice

A box sits at the edge of a tall cliff. What kind of energy does it possess?

• Kinetic Energy

• Gravitational Potential Energy.

Fill in the Blank

Any object that is moving has _________ energy. If an object is not moving, it likely has potential energy. Sometimes an object can have both.

LAW OF CONSERVATION OF ENERGY

FOR A CLOSED SYSTEM, THE TOTAL ENERGY REMAINS UNCHANGED.

ΔE_TOT = 0
OR
E_TOT = PE_g + KE