Identifying Energy Transformations
System: A group of objects (matter) that you are interested in studying.
Closed System: Objects (matter) and energy cannot enter or leave your system.
Energy flows from one part of a system to another. Parts of a system may speed up or slow down, get warmer or
colder, or change in other ways. Energy can transfer or change from one form to another, BUT, the total
energy of a closed system no matter what form it is in (KINETIC ENERGY: kinetic of moving object, thermal,
electrical, sound or radiant. POTENTIAL ENERGY: Gravitational potential energy, elastic, chemical, nuclear or
pressure) must always add up to the SAME AMOUNT. This is the Law of Conservation of Energy.
In today’s activity you will be studying various situations and mapping the energy flow. Your job is to:
1) Identify which forms of energy are involved in each scenario (KINETIC ENERGY: kinetic of moving
object, thermal, electrical, sound or radiant. POTENTIAL ENERGY: Gravitational potential energy,
elastic, chemical, nuclear or pressure).
2) Make an energy flow chart that shows how the energy changes from one from to another, in the correct
order. Do this first on your white board and keep changing until your group agrees on the final map.
3) After your group agrees on the energy flow, copy your flowchart to this worksheet.
Example:
 Identify an energy transfer chain that is at least 3 links long for the following scenario:
o Gabby heats a bowl of soup in the microwave.
Solution:
Electrical Energy from the wall socket is turned into radiant energy in the form of microwaves (which are part
of the electromagnetic spectrum). The microwaves are converted to thermal energy as the soups increases in
temperature. The electrical energy from the wall socket comes from the power plant that takes the chemical
energy of coal and turns it into electrical energy as the coal is burned. Coal is a fossil fuel which means it is
made of fossils which are lots of dead animals and plants. The dead plants got their energy from the sun in the
form of radiant energy. The sun gets its energy from the nuclear reactions that occur between the hydrogen
and helium atoms that make up the sun.
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Identify an energy transfer chain that is at least 3 links long for the following scenarios. The
longer the chain the more points, points, points. Hint: Almost all energy chains start with the
_ _ _.
Cevat uses a hand-operated air pump to inflate a small swimming pool for his younger siblings.
a) What class/es of energy does the air filled swimming pool have? _______________________
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b) What type/s of energy does the air filled swimming pool have? ________________________
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c) Draw the energy transfer chain.
Daniel pedals his bicycle up a steep hill and then coasts down the other side.
a) What class/es of energy is Dan giving to the bike? _________________________________
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b) What type/s of energy is Dan giving to the bike? __________________________________
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c) Draw the energy transfer chain.
Chrissy is camping and would like a cup of tea. She uses a wood fire to heat a pot of water. The
pot has a whistle that lets the camper know when the water boils.
a) What class/es of energy does the water have? ____________________________________
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b) What type/s of energy does the water have? _____________________________________
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c) Draw the energy transfer chain.
Many homes generate electricity from windmills. In one of these homes Justin is listening to
his IPod.
a) What class/es of energy does the IPod have? ____________________________________
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b) What type/s of energy does the IPod have? _____________________________________
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c) Draw the energy transfer chain.