Types of Energy

We are all made of energy. Everything that moves has some amount of energy, whether it be light or air or matter. It is the energy that makes the things move. You may have heard the term “Energies of the Earth” and wondered what it meant. Let us find out.

All forms of energy are related to motion. For instance, any given moving body has inherent potential energy when it is in motion as well. A spring, whether at rest or in motion, has the ability to generate motion due to its configuration; it contains kinetic energy due to its potential energy. The law of thermodynamics shows us that like charges repel one another, like poles attract one another, so if there is a moving charge, it will always seek out a pole that has opposite charges, or an edge that is closer to the initial charge, which will cause it to vibrate.

Kinetic energy is energy that is lost as the result of friction. This can be done by heating up or cooling down the substance, but it also can be done by trapping a particle between two particles for long enough times to cause it to lose some of its mass, this is what scientists call a nuclear energy. Thermodynamicists explain the relationship between energy and matter by referring to it as the “elements of energy.” These elements are: heat, light, sound, and nuclear energy. Let’s take a look at how each of these elements work.

Heat energy comes from the earth’s temperature, solar energy comes from the sun, and wind energy comes from the flow of air. Each of these sources has an abundance of natural sources, although in different quantities. The sun is extremely effective at converting light into heat energy, and we use this in many ways, such as by heating water and air to create electricity, however its rays are only available in the summer. Natural sources of energy like coal do not last forever, but have large reserves.

Nuclear energy produces two main byproducts, radiation and waste. The radiation is caused by the bomb testing of the US and Russian Union when they were developing nuclear weapons. The waste from nuclear energy production is more of a concern because of the quantity of nuclear material that is being thrown into the environment every day. Fortunately, most of this material is captured by security fences that are supposed to keep the public safe from nuclear material.

This was the brief summary of the types of energy. Kinetic energy is the motion energy that is created by something running; this is the most commonly known form of it. Kinetic energy can be used to move mechanical machines, electricity, or nuclear waste. Heat engines are a type of mechanical energy generation that uses magnets to induce heat in one form of fuel (usually hydrogen) and then to move the fuel through an electric motor. These engines do not require fuel, and so there is no pollution from burning fuel. Combining these three forms of energy can create a huge amount of electrical energy.