• Question: What is energy and how does it work? Also how have we manipulated energy to use it as we do?

    • Keywords:
      • Click on a keyword to find out more on the RSC site:
      Asked by ImIbby to Daniela ?, ☣ Danna, Jonny, Juan, Lindsay on 20 Jun 2016.
      • Photo: Lindsay Robinson

        Lindsay Robinson answered on 20 Jun 2016:


        Energy is just the ability to do work. There are loads of forms of energy such as heat, light, mechanical, sound etc. It is divided into 2 main types. It can be kinetic which is ‘working’ energy or potential which is stored energy.

        One of the key things to understand is that energy cannot be destroyed or created, it just get transferred or changes form.

        One of the ways we have manipulated energy is the ability to store it as we do with electrical energy. This gives us the ability to power electrical devices and other loads of other useful stuff.

      • Photo: Juan Ortiz

        Juan Ortiz answered on 20 Jun 2016:


        Lindsay covered the answer. I would add that the energy is what makes a car moving, but also what makes it stop. A piece of wood has energy (stored energy) and when you burn it that energy is turned into heat and light (other types of energy). A rock on the top of the mountain has also potential energy, since it could roll downhill releasing kinetic energy. Energy is not always something spectacular or obvious because it is everywhere and it is continuously turning into other forms. Almost everything has some energy stored inside somehow.

      • Photo: Jonathan Hunter

        Jonathan Hunter answered on 20 Jun 2016:


        I think the others have covered all of this. However there is an interesting idea.
        If you have ever heard of E=mc^2 (one of Einstein’s theories ) this equation means energy = mass times the speed of light square.
        This equation suggests how energy and mass are related! This is not really my field but here is a video if you want to know more!

      • Photo: Danna Gifford

        Danna Gifford answered on 21 Jun 2016:


        Well answered by the other three!

      • Photo: Daniela Lobo

        Daniela Lobo answered on 21 Jun 2016:


        Did you watch Jonny video? I did, and I learned something new!

    Comments