Energy is simply a body’s ability to perform a type of work. Energy is possessed by all bodies around us, but the extent of work done by them makes the difference. Energy can not be destroyed or created by someone; it only changes its form from one to another.
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Let’s discuss the different aspects of energy and its forms that allow a body to work.
Energy
Everything around possesses energy in one way or the other. Some bodies have a greater ability to do work with the energy they possess, while some do not have much ability to work. Energy tends to change its form from one to another, but it has been defined that energy can not be created or destroyed in any form.
Hence we can say that:
“Energy is the ability of a body to do any work. It changes its form, but it can neither ever be created nor destroyed in any form.”
SI unit of energy
As energy is defined by the work done by a body, the SI unit of energy is thus the same as that of work. Hence the SI unit of energy is Joules. The name joules have been given to honor the work and experiments of James Prescott Joule.
Forms of energy
Based on the work it is performing and the body it is present in, energy has been known to have several different forms that it can transform into. There are two main forms of energy that are further subdivided into several forms. The two main forms of energy are:
- Potential energy
- Kinetic energy
Potential energy
Potential energy is defined as a form of energy possessed by a body due to its position. The potential energy is not affected much by the elements in the environment, including the wind or sound.
The amount of potential energy possessed by a body tends to decrease or increase based on the position of the body. If we are standing at the top of a building, we would possess more potential energy than standing at the bottom.
The formula used to derive the potential energy is
W = mgh
Measured in the units kg/m2
In the above formula, the (m) stands for the mass of the body in Kg, the (g) stands for the acceleration due to gravity, whereas the (h) stands for the height of the body in meters.
Potential energy is further divided into a few subtypes, including:
- Gravitational potential energy
- Elastic potential energy
Gravitational potential energy
Gravitational potential energy is dependent on the vertical position of a body. It is the constant attraction that occurs between the body and earth. When a body is raised against the gravitational pull, the work done is known as gravitational potential energy. It can be turned into kinetic energy; the gravitational pull usually tends to pull things towards the earth with force known as gravitational force.
When we pick up an object or pull it high, then we lift it up against that gravitational pull, which makes the lifting energy the gravitational potential energy.
For example – (1) A book placed on a shelf. (2) a person standing on a staircase.
Elastic potential energy
A body that can stretch or have the ability to elongate like a rubber band or a string usually possesses elastic potential energy. The extent to which the body can stretch determines the amount of electrical potential energy it has.
It is the energy that is stored in between the atoms present in the object. The energy is stored there for a temporary period till the object remains under stress while being stretched or pulled out.
For example – (1) an elastic band in its twisted form. (2) a click pen we write with.
Chemical potential energy
This is the type of potential energy that is possessed by the chemical bonds present in a substance. When a certain work is done by that substance, the chemical potential energy present in it is converted into some other form of energy like heat or electricity.
For example: – (1) the food we eat that possesses chemical energy (2) the chemical bonds present between gasoline particles.
Nuclear potential energy
This is the type of energy possessed by the nucleus matter present in the atomic structure. This energy possessed by the nucleus is used to perform many radioactive reactions.
For example, (1) nuclear fission reactions and nuclear fusion, and nuclear decay.
Kinetic energy
The energy that is possessed by a body when it is present in any form of motion is known as kinetic energy. Whether a body is in vertical movement or horizontal movement, the energy it possesses is kinetic energy. A moving car, wind, or roller coaster, all are examples of bodies possessing kinetic energy. Hence if the body is moving in any given direction, it is said to possess kinetic energy. In other words, the energy of a moving body is known as kinetic energy.
The formula to calculate the kinetic energy is 1/2 m v2
The SI unit of the kinetic energy is kg.m2.s-2
Kinetic energy is possessed by a body in different forms, as discussed below:
Mechanical energy
It is the form of energy that can have the characteristics of both kinetic and potential energy; basically, this is the energy possessed by a moving body. The energy that is required by a body to do work and transfer its energy to another object is known as mechanical energy.
The work being done by a body either because of its position or motion is referred to as known mechanical energy.
Any amount of energy that is required to perform work by a body and transform it to another form is known as mechanical energy.
For example – (1) Pinning a nail to the wall with a hammer. (2) a moving cycle.
Electrical energy
The type of energy exerted by an object because of the movement of charged particles present in it is known as electrical energy. When a body has negatively charged particles known as the electrons present in a moving form, the body has a flow of current due to this movement. This movement of electrons makes a body possess electrical energy.
The amount of electrical energy possessed by a body depends mainly on the speed with which the electrons are moving in the given body. If the electrons are moving faster, the body will possess more electrical energy, and if the movement of electrons is slow, the body will have less electrical energy.
For example – (1) The television. (2) the ceiling fan.
Light energy
Light is the type of electromagnetic radiation that has tiny particles, namely photons, with wave-like properties. These waves make the light visible to the human eye in the form of light energy. These waves vary in their length, or in other words; it has different wavelengths. The wavelength of these photons determines the strength of the light energy. If the photon has a shorter
wavelength, then the light energy will be dim, and if the wavelength is longer, the light energy will be bright.
For example – (1) The sun. (2) The light bulb.
Thermal energy
It is the type of energy that is produced as a result of the movement or vibration of particles in a body. The particles can be atomic, or some other molecules present in the body. The more vigorously the molecules will be showing movement or vibration, the more heat they will produce. The heat produced will be the indication of thermal energy exerted by the body.
For example – (1) The heat produced by the sun (2) The hot cup of tea.
Sound energy
When there are particles present, they will vibrate. If there is a certain medium provided to the particles like air or water, the vibration of those particles can be heard by human ears if the frequency of vibration is audible. This form of energy possessed by the particles is known as sound energy. The vibration has a varied wavelength. Depending on the wavelength of the vibration of particles, the volume of the sound will vary. Lesser wavelength will determine less sound energy, whereas more wavelength will determine more sound energy.
For example – (1) The sound produced by a drum (2) The sound of vocals.
Law of conservation of energy
As per the law of conservation of energy, energy can neither be created nor be destroyed; it can only change its form by converting from one form of energy to another.
The amount of energy possessed by a particular body will remain the same unless there is a certain amount added from external sources. That energy will only change its form from one another when certain work is being done by the body, but it will not be diminished or created.
If we write this law in a material form, it will look like this.
K1 + U1 = K2 + U2
In the given equation, K represents the kinetic energy possessed by a body, and U represents the potential energy contained by a body. The sum of initial kinetic energy and initial potential energy remains equal to the sum of final kinetic energy and the sum of final potential energy.
Conversion of forms of energy
Constantly there is a conversion of different forms of energies happening around us, from the process of
metabolism, which converts chemical energy into thermal energy, to the solar panel installed at our homes that are converting thermal energy from the sun into electrical energy that lights up the bulbs in our house. Everywhere there is some kind of conversion of energy that results in some kind of work being done.
Common examples of energy conversion
In our daily lives, we see many processes that exhibit the conversion of energies from one form to another, whereas the amount of total energy remains the same. Some of these examples have been discussed below:
- When you turn on a light bulb, the chemical energy possessed by the material present in the bulb is transformed into light energy and thermal energy by the display of light it produces and the heat it gives off, respectively.
- Our body breaks down food through the process of metabolism. Since this is a chemical process, the chemical energy involved in the process is converted to thermal energy.
- When a moving car is coming down a hill, the kinetic energy possessed by the body is transformed into potential energy.
- When we burn fuel, the chemical energy involved in the process is used to produce heat and light, which makes the conversion of chemical energy into light energy and thermal energy.
- When we are playing an instrument like a drum, we beat the drum with a stick which takes mechanical energy to do work; the beating produces a sound. In this way, the mechanical energy is converted into sound energy.
- If we consider the working of a hydropower plant, the potential energy possessed by the water is converted into electric energy.
- The batteries we use in daily life are made up of certain chemical substances, due to which there are chemical processes going on in the batteries. In this way, the chemical energy present in the batteries is converted into electrical energy used for different purposes.
Different uses of energy
Energy has several different uses in our daily lives, whether it is residential use, industrial use, or commercial use. Almost all activities around us happen on the basis of energy. Here are some of the different ways that energy becomes important in our daily lives.
Residential uses
Residential uses involve all the ways we utilize the energy in our house setting. Here are some of the major uses of energy in our houses.
- All our electrical appliances, like light bulbs, washing machines, juicers, dishwashers, iron, etc., work on the basic concept of electrical energy. If there is no supply of electrical energy, our electrical appliances will fail to work.
- When we cook our food in the kitchen or turn on the gas heater, we use thermal energy to perform our tasks.
- All the housework we do, including cleaning, etc., is done by the working of mechanical energy.
Industrial uses
The industry is working mainly on the basis of energy utilization in one way or the other. Let’s discuss the major ways in which energy is being used by the industries.
- All the machinery, whether heavy or light, is being operated on the workings of some different sources of energy, including light energy, thermal energy, mechanical energy, and electrical energy.
- Fossil fuels are burnt to form renewable energy that can be used to serve many electrical and thermal purposes in the industry.
industrial use of energy
Commercial uses
The commercial uses of energy are widespread. Wherever we go, we can see the utilization of energy in one way or the other. Let’s discuss some of the major ways energy is being used in the commercial world.
- The school uses electrical energy to provide a well-organized learning environment to the students.
- Medical machines like X-ray machines work through electrical or thermal energy, wheelchairs in hospitals are operated by mechanical energy.
- All the businesses, including offices and supermarkets, are utilizing the major forms of energy for their normal functioning and operations.
Conclusion
All bodies possess energy in one form or the other. Either that energy is being used to do work, or no work is being done by it. The possessed energy can change its form from one to another, but it can not be created or destroyed; hence the amount of energy possessed by a body would remain the same even after the work is done by it.
Energy is present in many different forms all around us, including our own bodies, based on the properties of energy.
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