TE Activity: Energy Conversions
Contributed by: Office of Educational Partnerships, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY
Winner - 2009 Premier Curriculum Award for K-12 Engineering
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Energy Conversion in a light bulb convert electromagnetic energy (electricity) into heat and light, which is also electromagnetic form of energy |
Summary |
Engineering Connection |
| Energy exists in many forms all around us. Engineers have determined how to capture and release that energy in forms that are most useful to create heat where required and the work done in many engineered devices. Process flow charts that show the inflow and outflow of energy through a process are a tool that engineers use to help design and evaluate different systems and processes. |
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| Grade Level: 8 (6-8) | Group Size: 3 |
| Time Required: 40 minutes |
Activity Dependency  :Energy Forms, States, and Conversions |
Expendable Cost Per Group
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Not defined |
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| Keywords: Chemical energy, electric energy, energy conversion, forms of energy, heat, kinetic, mechanical, nuclear, potential, process flow diagram, radiant, states of energy, thermal | |
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Related Curriculum
:
| subject areas | Data Analysis and Probability Physical Science Physics |
| curricular units | Energy Systems and Solutions |
| lessons | Energy Forms, States and Conversions |
Learning Objectives (Return to Contents)
Students will be able to:
- describe at least three examples of how energy is converted from one form to another.
- demonstrate and diagram the conversion of energy into usable forms using a flowchart.
- state the law of conservation of energy.
- identify seven forms and two states of energy.
- identify the form and state of energy in everyday items as we use them to do useful energy.
Materials List (Return to Contents)
For combustion demo -
- Sterno or other heating arrangement
- 250 mL erlemeyer flask with a 1-hole stopper
- Pre-heated water (near boiling) in Thermos
- Ring stand to hold pinwheel and flask above heating source
- pinwheel
- Various electrical, mechanical or battery operated devices (one per group)
- Student worksheet
Introduction/Motivation (Return to Contents)
Energy exists in many forms all around us. The development of our modern society has been accomplished because scientists and engineers have learned to capture some of that energy and transform it into ways to do useful work. The conversion of energy from a chunk of coal into steam and then into mechanical engines that could do heavy work was a critically important role of engineers in the 19th century that helped to start the industrial revolution. An engineer needs to know where to "find" energy resources and then how to convert them into forms that are more useful for all of the machines and gadgets we use in our daily lives.
State the law of conservation of energy: Energy can neither be created nor destroyed….But it can be converted! Relate back to the Energy Forms and energy flow diagrams discussed earlier The items had different starting and ending energy forms in some cases. There were conversions going on. (The truck has chemical energy being converted to mechanical and heat through the COMBUSTION of fuel).
Energy conversions are necessary when we desire a certain form or state of energy (example - heat for our house) but the only form available is different (chemical energy in fuel). Conversions are also useful for transporting energy to where it is needed. For example a hydropower plant may be miles from our home, so how do use its energy? We convert its mechanical energy (flowing water) to electric energy, which is easily transported to our home, and then back to mechanical energy in our blenders.
Do the Combustion Demo to illustrate how we can add conversion processes to our energy flow diagrams.
Procedure (Return to Contents)
Before class:
- Set up the various energy conversion devices around the classroom. They do not need to be plugged in as long as they are familiar to the students.
- Pre-heat the water to near boiling point to speed up the combustion demo and store in a thermos or other insulated container.
- Set up combustion demonstration (Figure 1).
Schematic drawing of combustion energy conversion demonstration
With the students (after introduction)
With the students (after introduction)
- Start combustion demo by transferring water to flask and lighting Sterno. Explain what the system is and that it represents components of a fossil fuel power plant.
- Draw energy flow diagrams starting with various forms of energy. Students should be able to help define the forms and states.
Block diagrams for combustion demonstration
We already know about Forms of energy in this process (on left), now we have to define the conversion processes (see added words on right figure). This model is similar to a coal fired power plant. There would be one more step - the steam would rotate a turbine that has magnets and coils of copper wire. The moving magnetic field causes electrons in the copper to wiggle, thereby creating an electric potential (voltage)
Discussion Questions
- Who knows what important process is happening between the different forms of Energy? State that this conversion is something we use today. Relate it to our use of fossil fuels and the specific combustion process.
- Make sure students understand that there are energy 'losses' (energy is converted to an undesired form) as the energy is converted from one energy form to the next.
- Explain that we can model many different energy conversions in household appliances.
Student Activity:
- Hand out Energy Conversions Activity worksheet and explain that they will do the same thing now for several appliances they should be familiar with
- Have the students look at 4 different energy conversions and fill in the appropriate information for each conversion on the activity sheet.
- You can select different objects for each station depending on what is available at the moment. Some examples are:
- Flashlight (Chemical to radiant (light) (chemical reaction inside battery)
- Shaking flashlight (mechanical (work to move magnet) to electric to light (electrical resistance in light bulb)
- Light-Solar Panel-Lego Motor Set-up (radiant (light) to electric to mechanical)
- Personal Heat Packet (Chemical to Heat (exothermic chemical reaction))
- Genecon Generator (Mechanical (do work to move magnet) to electric)
- Hairdryer (electric to heat and mechanical (electrical resistance in wire to create heat, work done by fan to move air))
- Glow Stick (Chemical to radiant (light) (chemical reaction))
- Closure
- Stress that conversions end with a 'usable' and 'unusable' form of energy. Reiterate that energy is never lost.
- Once they have the information for their station (or all stations) have each group present a station to the rest of the class.
- Make sure that they can identify the forms and states. Also ask them to show where potential energy loses may occur.
Attachments (Return to Contents)
Assessment (Return to Contents)
Have students complete the activity worksheet and discussion questions and turn in.
Other Related Information (Return to Contents)
This lesson was originally published by the Clarkson University K-12 Project Based Learning Partnership Program and may be accessed at http://www.clarkson.edu/highschool/k12/project/energysystems.html.
Contributors
Susan Powers, Jan DeWaters, and a number of Clarkson and St. Lawrence students in the K-12 Project , Based Learning Partnership Program, grants No. DUE-0428127 and DGE-0338216. , National Science FoundationCopyright
© 2008 by Clarkson University, Potsdam NY 13699.This unit was developed under National Science Foundation grants No. DUE-0428127 and DGE-0338216. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the Department of Education or National Science Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.
Supporting Program (Return to Contents)
Office of Educational Partnerships, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NYLast Modified: August 11, 2009