How is energy transferred?
You will have to know this by heart in I/GCSE Physics.
- By heating
- Mechanically
- Electrically
- By radiation
By heating🔥
Some objects are hotter than others.
Energy is transferred from the hotter object to the cooler one, the difference in temperature between them decreases.
Mechanically ⚙️
Energy can be transferred through mechanically through the movement of the parts in machines, and when the motion or position of an object changes.
Sound waves and seismic waves (produced by earth quakes) are mechanical that transfer energy through materials and from place to place.
Electrically⚡️
Energy is transferred when an electrical circuit is complete.
A simple circuit may consist of a battery, lamp and wires.
Internal energy stored in the battery is transferred to moving charged particles in the wire (chemical to electrical).
By radiation📡
Visible light, infrared light, micro waves and radio waves are forms of radiation.
They are carried by waves (although, unlike sound, these can travel through empty space (vacuum)).
Electric lamps and burning fuels transfer visible and infrared light to the surroundings.
Other types of transfer
- When an object falls the gravitational potential energy it possessed is converted to kinetic energy.
- Food contains internal energy stored in the bonds between particles. This is sometimes called chemical energy. This is converted into the energy all living organisms need during respiration.
Drafted by Catrina (Physics)