GCSE PHYSICS - The Different Forms of Energy - Energy Transfer and the Conservation of Energy

Different Forms of Energy and Energy Transfer.

Energy is measured in Joules and comes in many forms.
Some examples are chemical (including food),
nuclear, electrical, heat, light, sound,
potential (gravitational and elastic) and kinetic energy.
We say that energy is transferred when
one form of energy is changed into another form.

We can do useful things when energy is transferred.
For example, if we want to light a room,
we can transfer electrical energy into light energy.
We can do this by switching on a light bulb.
If we want to travel from one place to another,
we can transfer chemical energy into kinetic energy.
We can do this by getting on a bus.

The amount of energy does not increase or decrease during
the transfer, it is only changed from one form into others.
Energy can not be created or destroyed.
This is called "the conservation of energy"
(not the same as conserving energy).
Not all of the energy is changed into the form we want
(the useful form).
Some energy is changed into other forms and is wasted.

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