Forms of Energy Jigsaw
Name:
Date:
My role(s) for this activity is/are: Expert on
Per:
energy
Directions: For this jigsaw activity, each group member will report to a new table in the room. At this table
they will become an “expert” on one form of energy. You will then come back together in your normal work
groups to share information. For each section the roles will be as follows:




The expert is the spokesperson for that section
The reader is the individual to the expert’s left
The manager is the person to the expert’s right
The document controller is the remaining group member
Work as a group to reach a consensus on each question. Write all answers in complete sentences when
necessary, and use supporting evidence from the expert’s information whenever possible. Stop when you reach
a stop sign and check in with your instructor.
Forms of Energy
What are some common forms of energy? How is energy transferred?
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Work with your group to list all of the things you currently know about energy in the “know” space below. In the
“want to know” space, write any questions you currently have regarding energy and energy transformations that
you hope you will find answers to in chemistry.
Know
Want to Know
Learned
MECHANICAL ENERGY
1. What is mechanical energy?
2. The energy of motion is
energy.
3. The energy of position is
energy.
4. Give an example of an object with potential energy changing to kinetic energy:
5.
6. Think of the motion of a pendulum. When does it have the most kinetic energy?
7. When does it have the most potential energy?
8. How can water in a dam be used to generate electricity?
9. A leaf falling from a tree shows
THERMAL ENERGY
10. What is thermal energy?
11. What is another name for thermal energy?
12. What is cold?
13. How can heat energy be transferred through space?
14. What heat transfer happens by currents?
energy changing to
energy.
15. When particles are touching each other, heat can be transferred by
.
16. What is temperature?
17. What scale do scientists use to measure temperature?
CHEMICAL ENERGY
18. What is chemical energy?
19. A chemical reaction that absorbs heat energy is called
that releases heat energy is called
, while a chemical reaction
.
20. When fuels are burned, they release heat called
.
21. What is a hydrocarbon?
22. What are the reactants of cellular respiration?
23. What are the products of cellular respiration?
24. In animals, energy is stored in molecules called
.
25. What is burned in most homes to heat them?
NUCLEAR ENERGY
26. What is nuclear energy?
27. What are the 2 ways energy can be released from atoms?
28. The process that produces energy in the sun is
29. What radioactive element do most nuclear power plants use?
.
30. When a neutron splits a uranium atom, more neutrons are released that split more uranium
atoms. This is called a
.
31. In a nuclear reactor, the heat from nuclear fission is used to heat
and the steam is used to turn a
.
32. Whenever you get a turbine to turn, you can generate
to form steam,
.
33. What is the concern about using nuclear power plants?
Directions: For the next section, choose a reader, manager, document controller, and spokesperson. Read
section 2.1 (p. 40-46) in the textbook. Use the information to answer the following questions as a group.
1. Define energy.
2. State the Law of Conservation of Energy.
3. Discuss how the terms “absorbed” and “released” may be a problem when talking about energy.
4. Discuss the connection between a system and the surroundings. Define each and give an example of
how the terms system and surroundings may be used in the chemistry lab.
5. Compare and contrast heat and temperature.
6. Define each variable in the equation E=mc2. Explain the significance of this famous equation.
7. Describe what happens when you hold a snowball in your hand. Use appropriate terms and clearly
explain your reasoning.
8. Return to the front page of this activity and fill in the “learned” portion of the chart with items you
learned from today’s lesson.