Energy stores

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Lesson notes

Energy Stores Overview

Energy is **not a physical thing** we can see or touch.
Different objects store energy in different **energy stores**.
There are **eight main energy stores**: thermal, kinetic, gravitational potential, elastic potential, chemical, nuclear, magnetic potential, and electrostatic potential.

Thermal Energy Store

Any object with a **temperature** has a thermal energy store.
The **higher** the temperature, the **more** energy in the thermal store.
Examples: hot cup of tea, hot bath water, hot radiator.

Kinetic Energy Store

Any **moving** object has a kinetic energy store.
The **faster** the movement, the **more** energy in the kinetic store.
Examples: moving car, train, person walking or running.

Gravitational Potential Energy Store

Objects at a **height** above the ground have gravitational potential energy.
The **larger** the height, the **more** energy in this store.
Examples: book on a high shelf, bird on a high branch.

Elastic Potential Energy Store

Objects like springs or elastic bands **stretched** or **compressed** store elastic potential energy.
The **greater** the extension or compression, the **larger** the energy store.
Examples: stretched elastic band, spring, hair tie.

Chemical Energy Store

Different **chemicals** store energy in their chemical energy store.
Examples: food, fuel, batteries.

Nuclear Energy Store

Energy stored in the **nucleus** of an atom is in the nuclear energy store.
Examples: uranium or plutonium fuel in nuclear power plants.

Magnetic and Electrostatic Potential Energy Stores

**Magnetic potential**: two magnets held close together store energy.
**Electrostatic potential**: charges close together (e.g., protons, electrons) store energy.

Nuclear energy is stored in the nucleus of an atom (e.g., uranium).

Slides

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Practice questions

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1.A helicopter is stationary and hovering above the ground. Which energy store does the helicopter have?
Easy
- AGravitational potential
- BKinetic
- CElastic potential
- DNuclear
2.A helicopter starts to move forwards. Which additional energy store does it now have?
Easy
- AKinetic
- BThermal
- CChemical
- DMagnetic potential
3.While flying, the engine of a helicopter becomes warm. Which energy store has increased in the engine?
Easy
- AThermal
- BKinetic
- CChemical
- DNuclear
4.A helicopter uses kerosene fuel. Which energy store does kerosene have?
Easy
- AChemical
- BKinetic
- CThermal
- DNuclear
5.A person bungee jumping falls from a bridge. What happens to their gravitational potential energy store as they fall?
Easy
- AIt decreases
- BIt increases
- CIt stays the same
- DIt is converted to elastic potential only
6.As a bungee jumper falls, they accelerate and get faster. What happens to their kinetic energy store?
Easy
- AIt increases
- BIt decreases
- CIt stays the same
- DIt is converted to gravitational potential
7.At the bottom of a bungee jump, the bungee cord stretches. What happens to its elastic potential energy store?
Easy
- AIt increases
- BIt decreases
- CIt stays the same
- DIt is converted to kinetic
8.A remote-controlled car has a battery that powers it. Which energy store does the battery have?
Easy
- AChemical
- BKinetic
- CThermal
- DNuclear

Revision notes

## Energy Stores Energy is not a physical thing we can see or touch. Different objects store energy in different ways called **energy stores**. ### Types of Energy Stores - **Thermal**: Any object with a temperature. Higher temperature = more thermal energy. (e.g., hot cup of tea) - **Kinetic**: Any moving object. Faster movement = more kinetic energy. (e.g., a moving car) - **Gravitational potential**: Objects at a height above ground. Larger height = more gravitational potential energy. (e.g., book on a high shelf) - **Elastic potential**: Stretched or compressed objects (springs, elastic bands). Greater extension/compression = more elastic potential energy. (e.g., stretched elastic band) - **Chemical**: Stored in chemicals. (e.g., food, fuel, batteries) - **Nuclear**: Stored in the nucleus of an atom. (e.g., uranium in nuclear power plants) - **Magnetic potential**: Two magnets held close together. (e.g., two magnets near each other) - **Electrostatic potential**: Charges close together. (e.g., protons, electrons) ### Key Points - A stationary helicopter hovering has **gravitational potential** energy. - Moving forward adds **kinetic** energy. - A warm engine has increased **thermal** energy. - Fuel (kerosene) has **chemical** energy. - Falling decreases gravitational potential energy. - Accelerating increases kinetic energy. - Stretching a bungee cord increases **elastic potential** energy. - A battery has **chemical** energy. - Two charged particles have **electrostatic potential** energy. - Uranium fuel has **nuclear** energy. - A chocolate bar has **chemical** energy. - Two magnets near each other have **magnetic potential** energy.

Thermal energy store: Any object with a temperature has a thermal energy store. The higher the temperature, the more energy in the thermal energy store.
Kinetic energy store: Any object that is moving has a kinetic energy store. The faster the movement, the more energy in the kinetic energy store.
Gravitational potential energy store: Objects at a height above the ground have a gravitational potential energy store. The larger the height, the more energy in the gravitational potential energy store.
Elastic potential energy store: When objects such as a spring or elastic band are stretched or compressed they store elastic potential energy. The greater the extension or compression, the larger the elastic potential energy store.
Chemical energy store: Different chemicals store energy in their chemical energy store. Examples: food, fuel, batteries.
Nuclear energy store: Energy that is stored in the nucleus of an atom is in the nuclear energy store. Examples: fuel in nuclear power plants (uranium or plutonium).
Magnetic potential energy store: When two magnets are held close together, they have a magnetic potential energy store.
Electrostatic potential energy store: When charges are close together, they have an electric potential energy store. Examples: protons, electrons, any charged particle.

Flashcards

What is an energy store?

Different objects store energy in different ways, called energy stores.

What is the thermal energy store?

Any object with a temperature has a thermal energy store. Higher temperature means more thermal energy.

What is the kinetic energy store?

Any object that is moving has a kinetic energy store. Faster movement means more kinetic energy.

What is gravitational potential energy store?

Objects at a height above the ground have gravitational potential energy. Larger height means more energy.

What is elastic potential energy store?

When objects like springs or elastic bands are stretched or compressed, they store elastic potential energy.

What is the chemical energy store?

Different chemicals store energy in their chemical energy store, e.g., food, fuel, batteries.

What is the nuclear energy store?

Energy stored in the nucleus of an atom is in the nuclear energy store, e.g., uranium or plutonium.

What is the magnetic potential energy store?

When two magnets are held close together, they have a magnetic potential energy store.

What is the electrostatic potential energy store?

When charges are close together, they have an electric potential energy store (e.g., protons, electrons).

A helicopter is stationary and hovering above the ground. What energy store does it have?

Gravitational potential energy store (due to height above ground).

The helicopter starts to move forwards. What additional energy store does it have?

Kinetic energy store (because it is moving).

While flying, the engine of the helicopter becomes warm. What energy store increases?

Thermal energy store (due to increased temperature).

The helicopter uses kerosene fuel. What energy store does kerosene have?

Chemical energy store.

A person bungee jumps off a bridge. What happens to their gravitational potential energy store as they fall?

It decreases (as height decreases).

As the person bungee jumps, they accelerate and get faster. What happens to their kinetic energy store?

It increases (as speed increases).

At the bottom of the bungee jump, the cord stretches. What happens to its elastic potential energy store?

It increases (as the cord is stretched).

A remote-controlled car has a battery. What energy store does the battery have?

Chemical energy store.

The remote-controlled car accelerates forwards. What energy store does it now have?

Kinetic energy store (due to movement).

The battery of the remote-controlled car becomes hot as it is used. Which energy store has increased?

Thermal energy store.

What energy store do two charged particles close to each other have?

Electrostatic potential energy store.

What energy store does uranium fuel in a nuclear power plant have?

Nuclear energy store.

What energy store does a chocolate bar have?

Chemical energy store.

What energy store do two magnets near each other have?

Magnetic potential energy store.

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