WHAT IS ENERGY? FIND ALL 9 DIFFERENT TYPES WITH EXAMPLES

Can you describe energy in one sentence? Not right? However, it is a very vast topic and involves too many details about every factor associated with it In addition there is nothing on this planet or even beyond this planet that doesn’t involve energy.

Therefore in this article, you are going to learn about what exactly it is? Similarly in what are different forms, it is available? Importantly how we utilize it In every small and big thing with their examples.

If you try to find out something that happing in the universe and doesn’t involve any type of power required then you are not going to get any answer for sure as even to think about that you are using energy.

What’s in it for me?

1. Definition
2. History
3. Kinetic energy
4. Potential energy
   • Gravitational Potential
   • Elastic Potential
5. Types of energies
   • Mechanical
   • Thermal or Heat
   • Chemical
   • Electrical
   • Radiant
   • Nuclear
   • Sound
6. Unit of energy
7. Law of energy conservation
8. Renewable
9. Non-renewable
10. Differences between renewable and non-renewable sources
11. Conclusion
12. FAQs

Definition

Firstly energy can be specified as the ability to do work. We are always using it for instance from reading this to doing space missions. However, there are two primary types.

History

Around one to two million years ago we invented fire and from then it all get stared.

• Firstly, In 3500 BCE we invented the wheel and used it as motion energy.
• Secondly, In 600 BCE Greeks discovered static Power by rubbing fur on amber.
• After that in 400 BCE Gears was invented and used as mechanical power.
• 27 BCE water wheels (turbines) invented in other words, the machine which harnesses KE of moving water or air.
• Similarly, In 1712 English engineer Thomas Newcomen invented the steam engine Mr. James Watt made it more efficient later and used in transportation.
• After than in 1800 Italian physicist Alessandro Volta invented the electricity-storing battery.
• 1840 James Prescott Joule state the law of conservation.
• 1860 Early gasoline engines are invented by French engineers Jean-Joseph Etienne Lenoir and Alphonse Beau de Rocha’s and German engineer Nicolaus August Otto.
• 1881 Jacques d’Arsonval described how heat can be extracted from the oceans.
• After that in 1882 American inventor, Thomas Edison opens the world’s first major electricity producing power plant in New York City.
• 1884 British engineer Charles Parsons develops the steam turbine in other words, the machine that converts steam into electricity.
• After that In 1890 German engineer Rudolf Diesel develops the diesel engine.
• Firstly in 1956, The world’s first nuclear power plant opens at Calder Hall in Cumbria, England.
• Similarly, In 1969 The world’s first solar power station opens at Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via in France.
• After that in 1982, The world’s current largest hydroelectric plant opens at Itaipu on the border of Brazil and Paraguay.

Kinetic energy (KE)

The kinetic energy of an object is due to its motion. If you want to accelerate any object you have to apply force on it and therefore you have to do work.

However in this process, after work is done motion is transfer to the object and the object starts moving at a certain speed depending upon the amount of work done and mass of the object, this is called kinetic energy.

We can derive the KE of an object by the following equation.

KE = ½*m*v^2

Potential energy (PE)

Potential Energy is stored in an object at rest however it depends upon the relative position of it with other objects.

If 1 tennis ball is at a distance of 1 meter from the ground and the other is at 2 meters from the ground so 2nd tennis ball has more potential compared to the first one as its relative position from earth gives it more potential power.

We can derive the PE of an object by the following equation.

PE = m*g*h

Potential energy further classified into two types.

1. Gravitational Potential
2. Elastic Potential

Gravitational Potential

Gravitational Potential is the energy stored in an object because of its position from the ground and gravitational attraction force acting on it at the same time.

Elastic Potential

The elastic potential is the energy stored in an elastic object because of its ability of expansion and contraction.

For Example: Spring, rubber, trampolines, etc.

Types of energies

Mechanical

It is calculated by the motion and position of a substance, in other words, mechanical energy is totaling the kinetic and potential energies of the substance. Mechanical energy is often defined as the ability to do work also.

For Example: Hammering, breathing, typing, etc.

Thermal or Heat

When the object is heated at certain temperature atoms and molecules of that object start vibrating at a faster rate due to a rise in temperature. However, this process produces energy which we called thermal or heat energy.

In conclusion maximum the temperature more will be the thermal power.

For Example: Hot boiling water, cooking in the oven, melting ice, etc.

Chemical

It is released while chemical reactions take place, It is stored in chemical bonds between atoms and molecules. It is mainly released in the form of heat.

Foods are stored with chemical power when we digest them they give us the power to do work.

For Example: food digestion, Coal Combustion, lithium batteries, etc.

Electrical

Atom is made up of electrons, protons, and neutrons, the electrons are constantly moving because of the power stored inside them this power is called electrical potential energy.

When we force these electrons to move in a certain direction through the conductor we generate electricity. Conductors are those materials that can carry this electricity therefore It cannot travel through non-conductor materials.

For Example: Light bulb, Television, lightning, etc.

Radiant

The power of electromagnetic radiation is called radiant energy. Firstly we will understand what is called electromagnetic waves.

Waves that are produced as a result of vibration within the electronic and magnetic field called electromagnetic waves. These waves can transfer through space or vacuum also.

For Example: Sun rays, X-rays, Microwave, etc.

Nuclear

The power which is stored within the nucleus called nuclear power.as we have seen before the atom is made up of electrons, protons, and neutrons and there are revolving around the nucleus which is a core part of the atom.

However, to use this we need to extract it from the nucleus by fusion or fission method. Firstly Fusion is a method in which we combined two atoms to extract nuclear power and in fission, we have to split the atom.

Sun produces heat by Fusion method whereas nuclear power plant uses fission method to produce electricity.

For Example: Nuclear power plants, Atomic bomb, Food treatments, etc.

Sound

When the momentum of energy is transmitted through the substance we called is sound energy. It travels in the form of waves.

It can be transmitted through all mediums (Solid, liquid, gas) containing atoms as it needs atoms vibrations to travel. When force is applied on the object to vibrate it generates sound and sound waves are produced.

For Example: Talking, Playing guitar, Alarm clock, etc.

Unit of energy

As we saw earlier energy is derived through work done that’s why both share the same SI unit which is Joule (J).joule word came from English physicist and mathematician James Prescott Joule who studied the relation between heat and work.

1 joule is equal to 1 newton meter.

1 J = 1 Kg*(m/s) ^2 = 1 Kg*m^2/s^2

So 1 joule can be defined as the amount of work done to move an object through a distance of one meter in the direction of the force of one newton.

Law of energy conservation

The law of conservation states that energy can neither be created nor be destroyed it can only be converted from one form to another. See the following examples.

1. Firstly, the food we ate to get the ability to do work- Is conservation between chemical to mechanical.
2. Secondly, plants use sunlight to do photosynthetic – It is a Conservation between radiant to the chemical.
3. Similarly heaters – Coverts electrical to thermal or heat.

Conversion classified energies mainly into two types as follows.

1.      Renewable Energies

2.      Non –renewable Energies

Renewable

Firstly It is the power collected from the sources that cannot be exhaust in a human lifetime and naturally refill.

In addition, renewable energies are used as an alternative to traditional resources. These resources don’t produce harmful gases and less harmful to our mother nature therefore the best alternative to non-renewable sources.

For Example: Solar energy, Wind energy, Hydro energy, Tidal energy, Geothermal energy, Biomass energy, Hydrogen energy.

Non – renewable

It is the power that is collected from sources that will exhaust and cannot be refilled in human life these sources are fossil fuels like coal, oil, natural gas, etc.

Similarly, non-renewable sources have disadvantages like limited supply and harmful impact on mother nature as they produce harmful gases.

For Example: Coal, Crude oil, Natural gas, propane, uranium.

Conclusion

Energy is a very vital part of a human life cycle and we cannot be apart from it, but at the same time we have to use it very carefully and without damaging our environment and to do so we have to use more and more renewable power and have to minimize the use of conventional resources considering its negative effects.

In further articles, we will try to dive deep into each type of renewable power and will understand every aspect of it.

FAQs