TYPES OF ENERGY
Energy is essential. It is required for every process, from launching a shuttle into space right down to the biological processes in our bodies. There are two forms of energy: kinetic, which is the energy that moving objects have, and potential, which is the energy stored in objects. There are also many types of energy. Although it can change from one type to another, energy can never be created or destroyed. Let's look at some of the types.
A Mechanical energy is that which is stored in moving objects. The amount of energy stored increases as the speed of movement increases. Mechanical energy can be either kinetic or potential. For example, if you throw a ball, it has kinetic energy because it is moving, but it also has potential energy because it is in the air, with the potential to fall to the ground. Examples: a person running, the wind blowing, cogs turning
B Thermal energy is kinetic energy because it comes from the movement of particles. Although particles are moving all the time, when they are heated up, they move faster. Therefore, the hotter a substance is, the more thermal energy it has.
Examples: boiling a kettle, the heat Earth receives from the Sun
Chemical energy is potential energy. It is stored in the bonds between atoms and other atoms, and molecules and other molecules. It is released when a chemical reaction takes place, and the particle changes state. Examples: food, chemical batteries, petrol
D Light energy is the only form of energy visible to the human eye. It is kinetic energy because it exists in photons, which are produced when the atoms of an object heat up and move faster. It can travel through a vacuum because it doesn't need matter to move.
Examples: lightning, stars, the Sun, lamps
Gravitational energy is potential energy because it is stored inside an object. On Earth, the higher an object is above the ground, the greater its gravitational energy. However, if you were to take that same object into space, outside the pull of the Earth's gravitational field, then its gravitational energy would effectively be reduced to zero.
Examples: a bird flying through the air, an apple hanging on a tree