Energy Vocabulary – An Introduction to Energy Vocabulary
Energy Vocabulary – An Introduction to Energy Vocabulary
In physics, energy is simply the power of an individual object to do work on a physical system. It can exist in kinetic, potential, electrical, acoustic, chemical, nuclear, or many other forms. The word energy comes directly from Greek: μ (a) “action” + e (l) “power” + (e) “motion.” Because an apple falls on the floor, it is an example of kinetic energy.
Kinetic energy is energy that is radiated from a point as the product of its motion with the rest of the entire atmosphere. Moving objects with no external force acting upon them have zero net energy. That’s why we often hear that a hammer weighs nothing. This statement is true only up to a point, after which the weight starts adding to the hammer’s weight. The reason is because the energy needed to make the hammer drop is not located inside of the hammer itself, but rather, is located inside of the molecules that make up the hammers mass.
There are many different types of energy. These different types are all classified based on their ability to do work on objects. For instance, there is electromagnetic energy, which is energy directly produced by moving things, and there is also an acoustic energy, which is energy indirectly produced by moving objects. Another form of energy is kinetic energy, which is energy stored when an object is falling. Finally, there is the potential energy, which is energy that is waiting to be harnessed; you can use it to turn lead into gold, for instance, or turn water into gasoline, etc.
Now let’s take a look at what each of these different types of energy are composed of. Molecules that make up a molecule have definite amounts of each of the different forms of energy. For instance, water molecules have a definite amount of kinetic energy, which is a combination of their chemical energy and their electrical energy. In both chemical energy and electrical energy, there is a direct relationship between the molecules in the bond; the more of one kind of energy, the more of the other kind of energy. This is why you can break bonds by shocking people with electricity or shocking fuel into gas by attaching metal electrodes.
However, in order for us to fully understand thermodynamics, we must first break down the energy into its various forms, and then figure out exactly how everything is related. Kinetic energy, which is the energy that is converted to other forms, is generally described as existing until it finds a destination, while the potential energy is only defined as something that can be converted into energy and is never created. Let’s take a look at each of these forms of energy to see how they affect the relationship between the different parts of a system.
The next time that you are stuck wondering what to do with your spare time, consider learning about biomass energy, wind power, solar energy, and other renewable energy sources. By taking an online renewable energy course, you will learn all of the terminology and the basic physics behind each energy source, and will be equipped to begin communicating effectively with others who are interested in the same field. This will help you understand thermodynamics far better and will set you on your path to becoming an effective and efficient energy consultant, researcher, and educator. So get going!