UNIT 6 ENERGY

WHAT IS ENERGY?
Energy is what produces changes in matter and allows us to do work.

Humans get energy from food to carry out the daily activities.

In the past we used the energy of moving water to drive mills, or used the energy of animals to work
the land, or the wind for the boats… The energy comes from different SOURCES.

SOURCES OF ENERGY:

Our main source of energy is the Sun, it gives us light and heat. Other sources on Earth are: coal, oil,
natural gas, water, wind…

FORMS OF ENERGY.

1. Electrical energy: The energy carried by electric current.

2. Light energy: The energy carried by light, such as sunlight.

3. Sound energy: The energy carried by sound: human voice.

4. Mechanical energy: the energy that moving objects have.

5. Thermal energy: The energy that transfers from a warmer body to a cooler body.

It is also called HEAT.

Nuclear energy: The energy obtained from reactions between the

components of substances.

6. Chemical energy: The energy stored by the substances that form

foods, batteries, fuel…

As we saw last year energy can change from one form to another. For example: Electric energy is
transformed into thermal energy in heaters, or into light energy in lamps.

Write other examples:

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 NON- RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

Non- renewable energy sources are found in limited supply on the planet, so they are running
out as we consume them.

1. COAL.
Coal is a black rock formed from plants that lived millions of years ago. It is found under the
Earth´s surface and is excavated in mines. We use coal as a fuel for producing electric energy.

2. Oil.
Oil is a dark liquid formed from small organisms that lived millions of years ago. Oil is extracted
from underground deposits by pumping it, we use oil to produce electrical energy and it is the
most important fuel for transport.

3. Natural gas.
Natural gas is a mixture of gases that is usually found next to oil. We use it as a fuel to produce
thermal energy in cookers and heaters. Natural gas is often extracted from marine deposits using
platforms.

4. Uranium.
Uranium is a white metal, found on the Earth´s surface. We use it to produce electrical energy.

DISADVANTAGES OF NON-RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

Coal, oil, natural gas and uranium will not last forever. If we continue to use them ate the current
rate, they will soon run out.
We obtain energy from these resources, buy they also produce polluting substances that are harmful
to the environment and to the health of living things.
The use of uranium to produce electrical energy generates a very dangerous type of waste, called
radioactive waste.
 ENERGY SOURCES PRODUCE BUT ALL OF THEM…

COAL ELECTRICAL ENERGY

ELECTRICAL ENERGY
OIL ENERGY FOR VEHICLES RUN OUT
AND POLLUTE!!
ELECTRICAL ENERGY
NATURAL GAS HEAT ENERGY

URANIUM ELECTRICAL ENERGY

RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES.

Renewable energy sources can be used over and over again and will never run out.

1. THE SUN.
Solar energy comes from the Sun. It is our main source of energy and provides light and heat.
We use solar energy to produce electrical energy (solar panels) and to heat buildings

2. WIND.
Wind energy comes from the wind (moving air). Today we use wind energy to obtain electricity
from wind turbine parks.

3. WATER
Hydraulic energy comes from moving water. Today, we store the water from some rivers in
reservoirs and use it to generate electrical energy.

ADVANTAGES OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

Renewable energy sources come from inexhaustible natural supplies. The Sun, for example, will
provide energy for another four billion years.
In general, these forms of energy produce very little pollution and are generally not bad for the
environment.
Biomass is a renewable energy source.

ENERGY SOURCES PRODUCE AND THEY …

SUN
DO NOT RUN OUT
WIND ELECTRICAL ENERGY OR POLLUTE!!

WATER
 HEAT AND TEMPERATURE
What is heat?
Heat is a form of energy that transfers from a warmer body to a cooler
object.
A body heats up when it receives heat and cools down when it transfers heat.
A fire warms us because it gives us heat. The Sun emits a lot of heat.

Heat sources:
A heat source is anything that emits heat and can be:
- Natural sources: the Sun or the lava from a volcano.
- Man- made sources: heater, a light bulb or a fire.
-
What is temperature?

Temperature indicates how hot or cold a body is. We measure it with a

thermometer.

Thermometers can be analogue or digital.

Thermometers usually measure the temperature in degrees Celsius, which is

represented by the symbol ºC. For example, 20ºC reads as “twenty degrees Celsius”.

Fever: The temperature of the human body is normally between 36ºC

and 37ºC. If our temperature is above 37ºC, we say we have a fever
and could be ill, we should see a doctor. Body temperature is measured
with a clinical thermometer.

SOUND
What is sound?

Sound is a form of energy that we perceive with the sense of hearing.

Sound sources include:

- The human voice, which is produced by vibrating our vocal cords.

- A guitar or a violin, which make sound with the vibration of the strings.

How does sound travel?

Sound needs a material medium to travel, such as air, water or a piece of metal.
For example, as there is no air on the Moon, an astronaut cannot hear the sound of a spacecraft, as
the noise of the engines does not reach him.
People´s voices and the sound of a violin are vibrations we perceive through the sense of hearing.
Echo.
An echo occurs when a sound bounces off an object and returns to its origin.
If you go to a mountainous area and you talk loudly, the sound bounces off
the mountains and returns to you. So, shortly after speaking, you hear you
own voice again.
The astronaut cannot hear any outside noise, since there is no air on the
Moon and sound can´t travel. Air is necessary for sound to travel.

NOISE AND NOISE POLLUTION.

Many sounds are pleasant but other sounds are

unpleasant and annoy us. We call these sounds noise.
Noise is any sound that is unpleasant and annoying,
like a stereo at full volume or a drill. When the noise
is excessive, we talk about noise pollution.

If the noise is very loud or continues for a long time,

it can be harmful to our health.
So, we have to try no to make noise: lower the
volume of the Tv and music systems, for example.