In this note, you will find information about thermodynamics and the different forms of energy.

Information: click the arrow to view the information

Big idea:

• Advancements in the processing and controlling of energy have been an enabling factor in the development of technology.

Thermodynamics:

• Four Laws of Thermodynamics that help to define things like energy, the flow of energy, and temperature

  • Zeroth law - Helps to define temperature

    • “If each of two systems is equal to a third, then the first two are also equal.”

  • First law - Conservation of energy

    • “Energy can neither be created nor destroyed; however, energy can flow from one form to another.”

    • “If a system has a temperature, then the total energy of the system has three parts—kinetic energy, potential energy, and internal energy—and as the internal energy increases, so does the potential energy.”

    • Heat flow is a form of energy transfer

    • Performing work is a form of energy transfer.

    • Work is equal to the force you exert and the distance an object moves.

    • W = F X D

  • Second law - energy flows away from it’s source

  • Third law - As a system approaches absolute zero, energy is not produced

• Forms of energy:

  • Six Major Forms of Energy:

    1. Thermal – or heat, the vibration/movement of atoms within systems.

    2. Radiant – or light, the electromagnetic energy that travels in transverse waves.

    3. Electrical – energy made available by the flow of an electric charge through a conductor.

    4. Mechanical – energy stored in the movement of objects or systems

    5. Chemical – energy stored in the bonds of atoms and molecules (examples: biomass, petroleum, natural gas, and coal)

    6. Nuclear – energy stored in the nucleus of an atom—the energy that holds the nucleus together

• Renewable vs Non-Renewable:

  • Energy sources can be classified as:

    • Renewable:

      • Water

      • Wind

      • Solar

        • Renewable energy accounts for 17% of the world’s energy sources.

    • Non-Renewable:

      • Fossil Fuels

      • Uranium

        • Fossil fuels provide around 81% of the world’s electrical power.

        • Oil and coal power plants produce harmful environmental emissions.

        • Nuclear power is generated using uranium and produces around 3% of the world’s energy needs.

• Energy Flow Diagram:

  • Two common diagrams used to show the flow of energy within any system:

    • Sankey Diagram - shows the type of energy that goes into a system and how the energy is converted, which also includes wasted energy, usually in the form of heat.

    • Flow Diagram - depicts how energy moves through a system and includes the type of energy and how that energy is generated and stored.