Energy Conversions
Students evaluate various everyday energy conversion devices and draw block flow diagrams to show the forms and states of energy into and out of the device. They also identify the forms of energy that are useful and the desired output of the device as well as the forms that are not useful for the intended use of the item. This can be used to lead into the law of conservation of energy and efficiency. The student activity is preceded by a demonstration of a more complicated system to convert chemical energy to heat energy to mechanical energy. Drawing the block energy conversion diagram for this system models the activity that the students then do themselves for other simpler systems.
Everyday energy conversions include the Sun's radiant light to electrical energy, and the chemical reaction in batteries to radiant-light energy.Copyright (left) Sandia National Laboratories http://www.sandia.gov/news-center/news-releases/2005/renew-energy-batt/tewa.html (right) City of Round Rock, TX http://www.roundrocktexas.gov/home/index.asp?page=1547
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.
After this activity, students should 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 forms and states of energy in everyday items as we use them to do useful energy.