Lesson 15 — Activity 1: Mechanical and Chemical Energy
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Lesson 15 — Activity 1:
Mechanical and
Chemical Energy
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Energy is all around us, and it is a part of us. It is everywhere! Our universe is made from energy, and it is fundamental to the existence of everything! It exists as light, heat, sound, mass, moving objects, gravity, fuel, chemicals, and electricity. We use many of these different types of energy to enhance our lives every day. In this activity, you will learn about mechanical and chemical energy.
Energy
means that something is used to do work. We seldom think about it, but
it is all around us. Light bulbs that give off light, furnaces that heat our
homes, schools, and offices, and even the food that we eat involves energy.
In the next two activities, you will learn about four types of energy:
- mechanical energy
- chemical energy
- thermal energy
- electrical energy
In this first activity, you will focus on mechanical and chemical energy.
First, click on the Play button below to watch a video to give you some background information on what energy is!
Energy
means that something is used to do work. We seldom think about it, but
it is all around us. Light bulbs that give off light, furnaces that heat our
homes, schools, and offices, and even the food that we eat involves energy.
In the next two activities, you will learn about four types of energy:
- mechanical energy
- chemical energy
- thermal energy
- electrical energy
In this first activity, you will focus on mechanical and chemical energy.
First, click on the Play button below to watch a video to give you some background information on what energy is!
An object
has mechanical energy if it is in motion or has the potential to move. Anything that moves is using mechanical energy.
For example, when you lift a box, the box has mechanical energy because
it is moving and it has the potential to fall. When you drive a car, the
car has mechanical energy because it is in motion. Even when you pick
up a pencil, the pencil has mechanical energy.
An object has mechanical energy if it is in motion or has the potential to move. Anything that moves is using mechanical energy. For example, when you lift a box, the box has mechanical energy because it is moving and it has the potential to fall. When you drive a car, the car has mechanical energy because it is in motion. Even when you pick up a pencil, the pencil has mechanical energy.
Whenever a force acts upon an object, work is done to that object that causes it to move or be displaced. Work is a force acting upon an object to cause a displacement. In all instances in which work is done, there is an object that supplies the force in order to do the work. For example, if a textbook is lifted to the top shelf of a student's locker, then the student supplies the force to do the work on the book. If a pitcher winds up and throws a baseball towards home plate, then the pitcher supplies the force to do the work on the baseball.
If a
barbell is displaced from ground level to a height above a
weightlifter's head, then the weightlifter is supplying a force to do
work on the barbell. In all instances, an object that possesses some
form of energy supplies the force to do the work. The energy acquired by the objects upon which work is done is known as mechanical energy.
The mechanical energy of an object is the sum of its energy in motion (known as kinetic energy)
and its stored motion in an object that is not moving (known as potential energy). In the example below, the ball being held but not moving has potential energy and the ball that is falling (in motion) has kinetic energy.
An object that possesses mechanical energy is able to do work. In fact, mechanical energy is often defined as the ability to do work. Any object that possesses mechanical energy — whether it be in the form of potential energy or kinetic energy — is able to do work. That is, its mechanical energy enables that object to apply a force to another object in order to cause it to be displaced.
Click on the Play button below to watch a video that shows you examples of potential, kinetic, and mechanical energy.
Have you ever felt tired and then felt a lot better after you had a snack? Your snack gave your body energy. Chemical energy is the energy in chemicals, including food. It is the energy stored in substances or materials. The snack you ate was broken down in your digestive system and then transported to your cells by your circulatory system. Most of the chemical energy your cells need is in glucose molecules. Glucose is a type of sugar that is obtain from most of your food.
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