Exploring Energy Conversions: A Student Guide, Summaries of Energy and Environment

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R. Eaglin,

Sources of energy

Student Exploration: Energy Conversions

Vocabulary: chemical energy, electrical current, energy, fossil fuel, global warming, gravitational potential energy, hydroelectricity, kinetic energy, light, nonrenewable resource, nuclear energy, renewable resource, sound, thermal energy

Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)

1. What are sources of electricity? List as many as you can. The three major categories of energy for electricity generation are fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and petroleum), nuclear energy, and renewable energy sources. Most electricity is generated with steam turbines using fossil fuels, nuclear, biomass, geothermal, and solar thermal energy
2. Where do people and other animals get energy to move around? Food
3. Where do plants get energy to live and grow? The sun Gizmo Warm-up In the Energy Conversions Gizmo, be sure Information mode is selected. Click on each of the different items in the scene and read about each one.
4. Which object converts sunlight into sugars? Corn
5. Which object converts wind power to electricity? Wind Turbine
6. Which object converts light to electricity? Solar Panels
7. Which object converts electricity to light? Light Bulbs

Activity B: Energy Conversions Get the Gizmo ready:

• Click Reset.
• Check that Path mode is still selected. Question: How is energy changed from one form to another?

1. Classify: Energy is the ability to exert force and cause change. Energy has many forms:

• Kinetic energy is energy of motion. All moving things have kinetic energy. o Sound is energy of vibrating materials or air molecules. o Thermal energy is the energy of tiny moving particles. As an object heats up, particles move faster and thermal energy increases.
• Gravitational potential energy is stored energy that exists based on the position of an object. The higher an object is, the greater its gravitational potential energy.
• Electrical current is energy that comes from moving charged particles.
• Light is electromagnetic waves that are visible to the eye.
• Chemical energy is energy that is stored in the bonds holding atoms together.
• Nuclear energy is energy released when atoms split apart or join together.

2. Create path: Create an energy path in the Gizmo, starting at the Sun. For each step of the path, describe the energy conversion that takes place. The first one is done for you. Discuss your answers with your classmates and teacher. Energy Path Energy conversion Sun Corn Ethanol plant Stereo Nuclear energy is converted to light and thermal energy. Corn absorbs the sunlight to produce sugars and oxygen. Corn is fermented to produce ethanol and give an electrical current. The speaker takes the electrical current and produces sound.

3. On your own: Create at least two more paths on the Gizmo. List the energy conversions that happen along each path. Record your work on separate paper or in your notebook. Energy Path Energy conversion Sun Air Wind Turbines Light Nuclear energy is converted to light and thermal energy. The sun causes the air to warm up, and pockets of warn air rise and cooler air rushes in, creating wind. Wind turn turbine blades, producing and electrical current The light bulb, picks up the electrical current flow through a thin wire called a filament Energy Path Energy conversion Sun Solar Panels Toaster Nuclear energy is converted to light and thermal energy. Sunlight removes electrons from crystals of silicon. The electrons flow through wires as electrical current. An electrical current flows through coils of wire, causing them to heat up and turn red-hot.
4. Apply: Where in the Gizmo (and in real life) do the following energy conversions occur? Chemical to thermal to electrical current: The sun to ethanol plants to the Toaster Gravitational potential to kinetic to electrical current: Air to Wind Turbine to Light