The Energy Alien
The Energy Alien:
GPE (Gravitational Potential Energy)- GPE is on the top of his head because it's on the highest point.
Light Energy- The antenna are light bulbs
Sound Energy- They're ears. Enough said :)
Elastic Potential Energy - Energy stored in stretching or compressing an object that will resume its previous shape
Nuclear Potential Energy - Energy stored in atoms
Electrical Potential Energy - Energy stored as electricity
Chemical Potential Energy - Energy stored in chemicals.
Thermal or Heat Energy - Energy from the movement of molecules
GPE (Gravitational Potential Energy)- GPE is on the top of his head because it's on the highest point.
Light Energy- The antenna are light bulbs
Sound Energy- They're ears. Enough said :)
Elastic Potential Energy - Energy stored in stretching or compressing an object that will resume its previous shape
Nuclear Potential Energy - Energy stored in atoms
Electrical Potential Energy - Energy stored as electricity
Chemical Potential Energy - Energy stored in chemicals.
Thermal or Heat Energy - Energy from the movement of molecules
Gravitational Potential Energy (GPE)
An object has more gravitational potential energy the higher up they are. They have more potential to fall harder when they're higher up. They'll gain more speed if they're higher up.
Sometimes it's simple called potential energy because it's commonly understood that if height is involved, then we're talking about gravitational potential energy.
Sometimes it's simple called potential energy because it's commonly understood that if height is involved, then we're talking about gravitational potential energy.
Light Energy
Light energy by itself isn't very helpful. We can't eat it. We can't put it in our gas tank. It just warms the earth (for which we are very grateful). But it can do more if we change it into a different type of energy. Solar panels change light energy into electrical energy and sometimes into chemical energy (a battery) where it can be stored until we want to use it.
Sound Energy
Think of a really loud stereo blaring from a car. Sometimes you can feel the vibrations from the bass instruments. Sound is a type of energy. Sound is just air molecules bumping into one another at a certain speed which our ears detect as sound.
Elastic Potential Energy
Elastic Potential Energy is stored energy that comes from deforming an object that will resume its previous shape. Examples include bows and arrows, springs, and rubber bands.
Nuclear Potential Energy
Nuclear Potential Energy is stored energy in atoms. There are 2 ways to release this energy.
1) When you split an atom's nucleus an enormous amount of energy is released. This is known as fission.
2) When you stick two atoms nuclei together this also creates an enormous amount of energy. This is known as fusion.
We have the ability to do both of these processes in a laboratory. The problem is that it either creates radioactive waste or it takes more energy to make it happen then we get out of it.
The sun does fusion naturally. We have created Atomic Bombs and Hydrogen Bombs that employ the same principles.
1) When you split an atom's nucleus an enormous amount of energy is released. This is known as fission.
2) When you stick two atoms nuclei together this also creates an enormous amount of energy. This is known as fusion.
We have the ability to do both of these processes in a laboratory. The problem is that it either creates radioactive waste or it takes more energy to make it happen then we get out of it.
The sun does fusion naturally. We have created Atomic Bombs and Hydrogen Bombs that employ the same principles.
Electrical Potential Energy
Electrical potential energy is energy we store as electricity. Basically, if you plug it in, then you're using electrical potential energy. Batteries also produce electrical potential energy.
Chemical Potential Energy
Chemical potential energy comes from breaking molecules and/or forming new molecules. Don't confuse this with nuclear energy. Breaking an atom and breaking a molecule are 2 very different things. Breaking a molecule happens any time you have a chemical reaction. Burning fuel, digesting food, or using a battery are all examples of chemical reactions that had stored chemical energy.
Thermal or Heat Energy
Thermal or heat energy is energy from moving molecules. Molecules that are excited move faster and are therefore warmer. Heat is just molecules bumping and rubbing against each other. Cold is the absence of that movement.