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Energy transfers

Different forms of energy can be transferred from one form to another.

Plants, animals and machines all transfer energy.

Energy transfer diagrams show each form of energy - whether it is stored or not - and the processes taking place as energy is transferred.

The energy transfer diagram below shows the useful energy transfer in a car engine.

You can see that a car engine transfers chemical energy, which is stored in the fuel, into in the engine and wheels.

Energy is input into a car engine in the form of chemical energy in the fuel. The energy is output in the form of kinetic energy in the engine and wheels.
Figure caption,
A car engine converting chemical energy to kinetic energy

Chemical energy \(\rightarrow\) kinetic energy.

\(\rightarrow\) means "is converted to".

This diagram shows the for the useful energy transfer in an electric lamp.

You can see that the electric lamp transfers or converts electrical energy into light energy.

Energy is input into an electric lamp in the form of electrical energy. The energy is output in the form of light energy.
Figure caption,
The lamp converts electrical energy to light energy

Electrical energy \(\rightarrow\) light energy.

Note that these energy transfer diagrams are only showing the useful energy transfers.

However, when energy is changed some is always converted into less useful forms, or 鈥渨asted鈥.

Car engines are noisy and hot, and so some of the chemical energy is converted to heat and sound.

The electric lamp heats up and so some of the electrical energy is converted to heat energy.

In this simple circuit below there are two energy changes.

Circuit with a battery and two lamps connected in series

In the cell, a chemical reaction occurs and chemical energy is converted into electrical energy.

Cell: chemical energy \(\rightarrow\) electrical energy

The lamp converts electrical energy to light energy.

Lamp: electrical energy \(\rightarrow\) light energy.

In both the cell and the lamp there is wasted heat energy.

Sometimes your mobile phone feels warm.

In the battery, chemical energy is converted to electrical energy and heat energy.

The phone uses the electrical energy, and you feel the results of the wasted heat energy.

Some other energy transfers:

Image gallerySkip image gallerySlide 1 of 3, Boat suspended from column, swings in circular arc. Highest point: no kinetic energy, max gravitational potential energy. Lowest point: max kinetic energy, minimum gravitational potential energy., A swinging pirate ship ride at a theme park Kinetic energy is transferred into gravitational potential energy