Download Types of Energy Chart

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Notes and Handouts
Types of Energy Chart
Energy makes change; it does things for us. It moves cars along the road and boats over the water. It bakes a cake in the oven or keeps ice frozen in
the freezer. It plays our favorite songs on the radio and lights our homes. Scientists define energy as the ability to do work. Energy is found in different
forms such as light, heat, sound, and chemical.
There are many forms of energy, but they all can be put into two categories either kinetic or potential. When you finish filling in the energy chart
below, return to the kinetic or potential and try to list each type of energy as either kinetic or potential.
KINETIC (moving)
POTENTIAL (stored)
HEAT (THERMAL)
Define this type of
energy (in your own
words)
What is the source or
what produces this type
of energy?
Give several examples
of how this type of
energy is used in today’s
world.
CHEMICAL
SOUND
ELECTRO-MAGNETIC
Define this type of
energy (in your
own words)
What is the source
or what produces
this type of
energy?
Give several
examples of how
this type of energy
is used in today’s
world.
NUCLEAR
MECHANICAL
LIGHT (RADIANT)
Types of Energy: Answer Key
KINETIC (moving)
Electrical, Light, Heat, Sound
HEAT (THERMAL)
POTENTIAL (stored)
Chemical, Mechanical, Nuclear
CHEMICAL
Define this type of energy
(in your own words)
Heat energy is created in the movement of atoms.
Boiling water, burning wood, and rubbing your
hands together really fast are all examples of heat
energy. Geothermal, and passive solar are sources
of heat energy, but biomass (a type of chemical
energy) can be burned to produce heat energy.
Chemical energy is stored in the
bonds of molecules. This is a form
of potential energy until the bonds
are broken. Products that contain
chemical energy include: TNT,
baking soda, and a match.
What is the source or what
produces this type of
energy?
Friction
The bonds between two substances.
Or the mixing of two different
substances.
Give several examples of
how this type of energy is
used in today’s world.
Heating a house, cooking
Coal, fossil fuels, Food
SOUND
Sound energy is the movement molecules in the air
that produces vibrations. It's this bumping or
mechanical energy that moves across the room, not the
air molecules!
The bumping produces sounds energy.
The bumping of molecules
Music, speaking
ELECTRO-MAGNETIC
ENERGY
Define this type of
energy (in your own
words)
What is the source or
what produces this
type of energy?
Give several
examples of how this
type of energy is
used in today’s
world.
Magnetic energy is the attraction of
objects made of iron. Medical
equipment (MRI scanning),
compass, refrigerator magnets are
all examples of magnetic energy.
Any type of energy source that
uses a generator in the process to
make electricity uses magnetic
energy.
NUCLEAR ENERGY
Nuclear energy is the energy stored
within atoms. Nuclear energy is unusual
in that it can give off energy in the
form of light or heat, but it is the
change in the atom's makeup that
produces the energy. Submarines,
power plants, and smoke detectors all
use nuclear energy. Nuclear power
plants use uranium, a radioactive
element, to create electricity.
MECHANICAL
Mechanical energy is the
movement of machine parts.
Wind-up toys, grandfather clocks,
and pogo sticks are examples of
mechanical energy. Wind power
uses mechanical energy to help
create electricity.
LIGHT (RADIANT)
ENERGY
Light energy is the movement of
photons. (The light specturm of
electromagnetic waves shows light
energy.) All life on earth is
dependent on light energy from
the sun. Examples of light energy
include radio waves (AM, FM,
TV), microwaves, X-rays, and
plant growth. Active solar energy
uses photovoltaic panels and light
to turn light energy into chemical
energy.
Splitting of a nucleus
Magnetism/ domain alignment
Movement
Sun
Riding a bike, wind power, clocks
Solar cars
Nuclear power plants
Motors, generators