Unit 3: The Solar System and energy
Changes In Energy — HIA International - Grade 6 Revision Notes & Topical Questions
5 min read 9 parts Lesson 11 of 14 1 quiz
Lesson summary
3.6 Changes in energy — HIA INTERNATIONAL notes: Describe how energy changes from one store or transfer to another when something happens, and show this with energy diagrams.Stored energy — before energy can be changed or transferred it is stored, and stored energy is not doing a…
- Process or event
- Walking up stairs
- Television
- Book falling from a shelf
- Burning wood
- Falling book
Section 1 of 9Energy before a change
1Stored energy
- Stored energy before energy can be changed or transferred it is stored, and stored energy is not doing anything
2Change
- Change when something happens, energy is changed or transferred
3Process or event
- Process or event something that changes or transfers energy, for example burning is a process and a book falling is an event
Section 2 of 9Energy changes in a cooking fire
Energy changes in a cooking fire
Wood is a store of chemical energy.
Burning changes the chemical energy to thermal energy.
The thermal energy is transferred to the pot and the food inside.
Section 3 of 9Energy changes in a power station
1
Natural gas stores chemical energy.
2
Burning the gas changes the chemical energy to thermal energy.
3
The thermal energy is changed to kinetic energy in large generators that spin around.
4
The kinetic energy is changed to electrical energy.
5
The electrical energy is transferred through wires into homes and buildings.
Section 4 of 9Other energy changes
1Walking up stairs
- Walking up stairs chemical energy from food changes to kinetic energy,
- and the movement upwards changes kinetic energy to gravitational potential energy
2Television
- Television electrical energy changes to sound and light
3Book falling from a shelf
- Book falling from a shelf gravitational potential energy changes to kinetic energy
4Candle
- Candle chemical energy changes to light
- (and thermal energy)
Section 5 of 9Showing energy changes in diagrams
Arrows
- Arrows an arrow from one energy type to another shows the process or event that changes it
Burning wood
- Burning wood chemical → thermal
Television
- Television electrical → sound and light
Falling book
- Falling book gravitational potential → kinetic
Section 6 of 9Useful and harmful energy changes
Useful and harmful energy changes
Useful changes
- Useful changes energy is changed in the way that we want
Harmful changes
- Harmful changes typhoons, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis and strong winds transfer energy in a damaging way
Not all changes are useful
- Not all changes are useful some of the energy in a change is not useful, which is studied in 3.7
Section 7 of 9Investigation: candle heating oil
1
Measure the temperature of the cooking oil in a beaker or metal can on a tripod and gauze.
2
Light the candle, place it under the beaker and start the timer.
3
Stir the oil at regular intervals with a stirring rod, not the thermometer.
4
Measure and record the temperature every minute.
5
Stop heating when the temperature has risen by 10 °C and carefully blow out the candle.
6
Record the results in a table and plot a line graph with temperature on the vertical axis.
Section 8 of 9Key terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Change | A difference in how energy is stored or transferred. |
| Process | Something that changes or transfers energy, such as burning. |
| Event | Something that happens and changes energy, such as a book falling. |
| Useful energy change | A change of energy in the way that we want. |
| Chemical energy | Energy stored in fuels such as wood and natural gas. |
| Gravitational potential energy | Energy stored in an object lifted up from the ground. |
Section 9 of 9Exam technique
1
Saying energy is used up when something happens — it is changed or transferred
2
Saying stored energy is doing something — energy only does something when it is changed or transferred
3
Writing an energy change with only one type — a change shows where the energy starts and what it becomes
4
Thinking all energy changes are useful — some are harmful or wasted
Marked practiceQuizzes for this lesson
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