Energy
Energy forms and transfers, thermal transfer, conservation, power, power stations and the grid.
Before you begin
Energy does not vanish. Follow it from the input to every output, including the energy transferred to the surroundings.
Learning goals
- Forms of energy
- Direction of thermal transfer
- Conservation of energy
- Power
- Fossil-fuel electricity generation
- High-voltage transmission
- Step-up and step-down transformers
Syllabus statements covered
- show an understanding that electrical energy, kinetic energy, light energy, potential energy (chemical, elastic and gravitational), sound energy and thermal energy are examples of different forms of energy
- show an understanding that thermal energy is transferred from a region of higher temperature to a region of lower temperature until both regions reach the same temperature
- state the principle of conservation of energy and apply the principle to solve problems
- recall and apply the relationship power = energy / time taken to solve problems
- describe the generation of electricity with reference to the energy conversions that take place in fossil fuel power stations
- explain why electricity is transmitted from power stations through a grid of high voltage transmission lines
- describe the use of step-up and step-down transformers in transmission of electricity and in electrical appliances (the term alternating current is not required)
Lessons
Work through them in order.
- Energy forms and transferName the energy forms before and after a change, and predict which way thermal energy transfers.
- Conservation and powerAccount for every energy output with conservation of energy, and calculate power from energy and time.
- Generation and the gridTrace energy through a fossil-fuel power station and explain why the grid steps voltage up and down.
Practise and check
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