We’re all fairly familiar with the idea of making energy comparisons, at least at the level of finding the cheapest supplier or working out if a particular source of power is greener than another one. That kind of thing works well for the sort of energy that we actually use [...]
These days everyone seems to be talking about energy, whether it’s the rising cost of electricity, gas and petrol, carbon costs and offsets, alternatives to our traditional sources or what happens when the oil finally runs out. Going a little bit deeper, however, and trying to get to grips with [...]
Coal is a very effective solid fuel as it burns to easily and produces a great deal of heat. Until relatively recently, coal-fires were the most common means of domestic heating. Coal is also used very extensively to fuel the power stations that produce electricity. However, there are two major [...]
Energy is a huge concept – but essentially, it is ‘the power to do work’. Man can neither create nor destroy energy; he can, however, transform it into forms that he can harness for his own purposes. Energy can come from a ray of sunlight, a gust of wind, or [...]
Throughout our lives, our bodies never stop using energy. When we are asleep we use less energy than when we are awake; when we move around we use more energy than when we are sitting still; and we use most energy of all when we are engaged in some form [...]
There is a school of thought that classifies all energy as either potential energy or kinetic energy. Other scientists dislike this division, arguing that it is artificial; however, the terms ‘potential energy’ and ‘kinetic energy’ are frequently used, so it is important to understand what they mean. Kinetic Energy Of [...]
Light travels in waves, and sound travels in waves. However, sound waves and light waves are very different, and it is important not to confuse the two. Light travels in electromagnetic waves, and sound does not. Sound waves are caused by vibration. Electromagnetic Radiation One way in which energy can [...]
Energy is the power to do work. The power of thermal energy takes the form of heat. It is important to differentiate between heat and temperature. A thermometer measures temperature, not heat. Heat can be defined as the energy in the random movement of atoms and molecules within a substance. [...]
How We Measure Energy A good definition of energy is ‘the ability to do work’. When we measure energy, what we want to know is: how much energy was required to achieve certain results? Joules Finding a method of measuring energy that would enable meaningful comparisons to be made between [...]
