Download Discovery Education Science Connection ΠElementary School

I'm studying energy in science class. I've learned that energy is
defined as the ability to do work. In science, "work" doesn't
mean going to a job to earn money, like my parents do. Instead,
work refers to anything that results in motion. I need energy to
play soccer with my friends. Therefore, when I'm moving
around the soccer field, I'm doing work.
I've also learned about two of the main types of energy: potential
and kinetic. Kinetic energy is the energy of motion, and
potential energy is stored energy or the energy due to
position. Potential energy can convert to kinetic energy when an
object starts to move. For example, the ball in my soccer game
has kinetic energy while rolling across the playing field. When
the goalie holds the ball in the air, it has some potential energy.
This potential energy changes to kinetic energy when the goalie
drops the ball.
Today I decided to keep a journal to highlight the different ways
I observe energy in my life. There are numerous examples, so I'll
just write about a few instances I observed today.
Before I woke this morning, kinetic energy was
present inside me. My heart was beating, blood was
flowing, and my muscles were starting to flex. After I
got out of bed, I looked out the window. The sun had
risen, and rays of light were shining through my
window. Light is radiant energy. I can perceive the
light from the sun, but my eyes can't see other types
of radiant energy, like X-rays and microwaves. That's
right—the energy that heats my food is radiant
energy.
I walked downstairs to have breakfast. I made myself
a breakfast of toast, fruit, and juice. The toaster is
powered by electricity, a form of electrical energy. This
morning, I also thought about how the electricity traveled to my
toaster.
The journey began at a power plant. My local power plant is
associated with a dam, so the electricity is generated by the
kinetic energy of falling water. While the water is stored behind
the dam, the water has potential energy. The moving water
causes generators at the plant to rotate. This movement
produces an electrical current, which then moves through a
series of power lines until the electricity reaches my house.
When I push down the lever on the toaster, I complete a circuit,
allowing the electricity to reach the appliance. The electricity is
then transformed into thermal energy, or heat. I don't usually
think about the motions involved in making toast, but the
process is actually quite complex.
Once I finished breakfast, I was ready to start the school day. I
knew the toast and fruit would provide energy to help my body
move and function all day (or at least until lunch).
Next, I hopped on the school bus to ride to school.
The bus needs energy to get from one place to
another. This energy comes from burning gasoline.
Gasoline is a fuel that consists of many hydrocarbon
molecules. The chemical bonds in these molecules
contain chemical energy (which is actually a form
of potential energy). When the gasoline is burned,
this chemical energy is converted to the kinetic
energy of the moving engine and bus. I noticed
when I got off the bus that the engine was radiating
heat. I guess the burning of the gasoline was also
producing thermal energy.
I arrived at school just as the bell rang. A ringing bell is another
example of kinetic energy in action. The bell uses electrical
energy to make a hammer strike the outer metal casing of the
bell. That motion creates vibrations called sound waves. The
sound waves travel to my ears, where the waves are processed
and sent on to my brain. My brain then told my legs to move
faster, because I was about to be late to class! Once I started to
pay attention, I realized forms of energy are all around me.