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What is Energy?
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The ability to do work
The ability to cause
matter to move
The ability to cause
matter to change
Measured in joules &
calories
Law of Conservation of
Energy
The amount of energy used to
initiate a change is the same as
the amount of energy detected
at the end of a change.
Chemical Energy
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Chemical Energy is the
energy of a chemical
compound that changes
as its atoms are
rearranged.
Chemical energy is a
form of potential energy
because it depends on
the position and
arrangement of the
atoms in a compound.
Example:
food
plants
What is Potential
Energy?
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Stored energy
Energy of position
The amount of usable
energy in a body at
rest, sometimes called
Gravitational Potential
Energy
 2 Ways to Increase
Potential Energy
1. Increase Height
2. Increase Mass
Example:
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Stretching a
rubberband
Drawing back a bow
and arrow
Electrical Energy
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Electrical Energy is
the energy of moving
electrons. Electrical
energy can be
thought of as potential
energy that is used
when you plug in an
electrical appliance
and use it.
Example:
Charging your iPod
plugging in your flat iron
What is Kinetic Energy?
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Energy of motion
An object has kinetic
energy due to it being
in motion
 2 ways to increase
Kinetic Energy
1. Increase Mass
2. Increase Speed
Example:
 A man running
 Riding a bicycle
Mechanical Energy
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Example:
listening to music
talking to friends
Thermal Energy
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Thermal Energy is all of the
kinetic energy due to
random motion of the
particles that make up an
object.
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All matter is made up of
particles that are always in
random motion. So, all
matter has thermal energy.

Thermal energy increases
as temperature increases
and increases as the
number of particles
increases
potential energy + kinetic energy

The mechanical
energy of an
object remains
the same unless it
transfers some
energy to another
object.
Example:
water in a waterfall
Example:
boiling water
grilling a steak
Light Energy
Nuclear Energy
Sound Energy
Sound Energy is caused by
an object’s vibrations. The
object’s vibrations transmit
some kinetic energy to the air
particles, which also vibrate.
These vibrations transmit
sound energy.
The total energy of
motion and position of
an object
Can be found by adding

Light Energy is
produced by the
vibrations of
electrically charged
particles.
Example:
light bulb
watching television
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Nuclear Energy is
energy that comes
from changes in the
nucleus of an atom.
Nuclear energy can
be produced when
nuclei are joined in a
fusion reaction or
when a nucleus is
split apart in a fission
reaction.
Example:
nuclear bomb
nuclear power