Forms of Energy

Heat/Thermal

created from the vibration of atoms and molecules within substances; the faster they move, the more energy theypossess and the hotter they become

Electrical

created from the movement of electrons around a circuit which generates electricity

Mechanical

results from movement or the location of an object; it is the sum of the kinetic and potential energy

Light/Radiant/Electromagnetic

comes from electromagnetic waves

Sound/Sonic

comes from sound waves that travel through the air or another medium

Chemical

results from a chemical reactions between atoms or molecules

Nuclear

results from changes in the atomic nuclei or from nuclear reactions

Gravitational

is associated with gravity which involves the attraction between two objects based on their mass

Ionization

binds electrons to the nucleus of its atom, ion, or molecules

conservation of energy

Energy can be transformed from one type into another, but it can’t be made from nothing.

1st law of thermodynamics

energy cannot be created nor destroyed; the total quantity of energy in the universe stays the same.

2nd law of thermodynamics

energy is transferred or transformed, more and more of it is wasted; resulting to a more disordered state (entropy).