NAME: ___________________________

Energy Transformation
Most of the time when you use energy, you are using more than one form of energy. You start with one form, and it turns into another one. When you switch on a lamp, you use electrical energy, which becomes light energy. This change of energy from one form to another is called an energy transformation. For the lamp to work, electrical energy is transformed into light energy. In a car, the chemical energy in gasoline is transformed into kinetic energy as the car moves. Sometimes, an energy transformation can result in more than one form of energy. When a candle burns, the chemical energy of candle wax is transformed into heat and light. Can you think of other examples of energy transformation? Suppose you could measure the amount of energy at the beginning and end of an energy transformation. You would always find that you end up with the same amount of energy that you started with. The energy would be in different forms, but the total amount would be the same. Scientists have been able to measure many energy transformations. They have found that energy never disappears. They also find found that no new energy is ever created. Another way of this is that energy cannot be created or destroyed. It can only be transformed from one form to another. We can store energy in one form until we need it. Then, we can transform it into other forms that we can use. When you take your lunch to school, you are taking the chemical energy stored in your food, your body will transform it into forms of energy you need kinetic energy for movement and thermal energy to keep you warm.

Build Your Own Spool Car

Procedure: 1. Slip the rubber band through the hole in the thread spool. You want it to pass from end to the other. 2. Attach one end of the rubber band to the spool with the thumb tack. 3. Slip the other end of the band through the hole in the washer. Put the wooden stick through the open loop. 4. Turn the wooden stick to wind up. Let er rip! 5. Explore. Try winding the rubber band a different number of times. What do you notice about the distance traveled? Try running your car up a ramp. How do you think this distance will compare to the distance if there were no ramp? Does the size of the spool have an effect on how fast or far the car travels? Materials: Thread spool Plastic washer Thumb tack Rubber band Small wooden stick

What makes the device move?

________________________________________________________________ Where is the energy coming from?

What energy transformation is involved?

What happens when you wind up the rubber band more? If you wind it up twice and much, does it travel twice as far?

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Some cars move faster or farther than others. Why do you think this happens?

________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Give an example of a device in which each of the following energy transformations occur: a) electrical energy sound energy _______________________________ b) chemical energy thermal energy ______________________________ c) elastic energy kinetic energy _________________________________ d) chemical energy thermal energy ______________________________ e) gravitational energy kinetic energy _____________________________