Energy in Living
Things
Forms of Energy –
th
6
grade review
What are the forms of energy you remember from 6th grade?
Atomic/Nuclear
Electrical
Chemical
Light/Radiant
Thermal/Heat
Mechanical/Sound
Energy Transformations –
review
th
6
grade
 Law
of Conservation of Energy = energy cannot
be created or destroyed, only changed form
Ex.
 Radiant energy from the Sun is transformed into thermal energy
when it passes through your car windshield
 Electrical energy from the outlet is transformed into radiant and
thermal energy in a lamp
 Chemical energy in fuel is transformed into thermal and radiant
energy when burned
Living things transform
energy to perform life
functions
 One
of the characteristics of living things (on your
bubble map)
 Think
of food = fuel = chemical energy
Step 1: Plants transform radiant energy
from the sun into chemical energy
(glucose).
In the process of PHOTOSYNTHESIS,
plants convert radiant energy from
the sun into chemical energy in the
form of glucose (sugar)
Radiant energy  chemical energy
Stored
chemical
energy
Step 2: Animals digest the plants to
obtain (get) the stored chemical energy.
Chemical energy  chemical energy (different forms)
Step 3: The chemical energy is transformed
by cells into mechanical energy and
thermal energy.
Mechanical Energy: the energy associated
with movement or doing work (examples:
walk, jump, talk, breathe).
Thermal Energy: The rest of the energy is used
to raise your body temperature (body heat).