Energy Systems Student Handout

Work, in the scientific sense of the word, is usually defined as the e

transfer of energy from one physical system to another. For example,
the transfer of energy to a car by the application of a moving train
does the work necessary to move the car through some distance. Work
is calculated as the product of the force and the distance through
which the body moves and is expressed in joules, ergs, and foot-
pounds.

A system is an organized group of parts that are assembled in a way

that allows them to do work that moving train again. A system might
also be your arm with a hammer held in your hand or a car engine that
drives propels a car.

According to the law of conservation of energy, the total energy of a

system remains constant, though energy may transform into another
form. Two billiard balls colliding, for example, may come to rest, with
the resulting energy coming out as the sound of the impact and
perhaps a bit of heat at the point of collision.

Thenextsimulationallowsyoutoexperimentwithenergyandseveraldifferent
systems.YourteachermayhavedownloadedthesimulationEnergyFormsand
Changes.Ifnotgotohttp://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/energyformsandchanges
ClickonthegreenRunNow!buttontodownloadthesimulation.Whenithas
downloadedmakesuretheEnergySytstemstabontheupperrightisselected.

Created by The North Carolina School of Science and Math.

Copyright 2012. North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. 1
Image:EnergyFormsandChangesPhETInteractiveSimulations,UniversityofColorado
http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/energyformsandchanges
Licensedattributionnoncommercial,nonderivative.

Thesimulationallowsyoutoconstructseveraldifferentsystemwith3typesof
interchangeableparts.Ontheleftare4differentenergysourcesfallingwater,sunlight
aboilingkettle(steam)andabicycle.Inthecenteraretwodifferentwaysofconverting
energytoelectricityawheelattachedtoanelectricgeneratorandasolarpanelattached
toanelectricgeneratorandfinally,thethirdsetofcomponentsthatusetheenergyarea
hotwaterheatingunit(withthermometer),anincandescentlightbulbandacompact
florescentbulb.Rearrangingthesepartsallowsyouexaminehowenergyistransferredin
asystemtoproduceworkwarmthewaterorlightthebulbs.

Notethegreenboxintheupperrightandclickonthesmallerwhiteboxinsidetomake
theenergytypesymbolsvisible.Eachtypeofenergyiscolorcodedsothatyoucan
observehowenergyistransferredfromonetypeofenergytoanotherwithinthesystems
thatyoubuild.

Procedure:

Design a system with each of the energy sources, energy

converter and device combination
Predict how the energy will flow through the system
Then run the simulation

Created by The North Carolina School of Science and Math.

Copyright 2012. North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. 2
 Describe how energy flows and changes one form of energy into
another. Was your prediction accurate? Did the system behave
in ways that you did not expect?

Complete the following table as you go through the procedure:

Water Wheel Hot Water Heater | Incandescent bulb |

Incandescent bulb

Prediction: The mechanical energy form the water will move the
wheel and cause the bulb to light up or the water to heat up.

Simulation: Mechanical energy from the flowing water moves

the wheel, also through mechanical energy. Electrical energy is
transferred through the water and the bulb lights up, emitting
thermal and light energy. The water is heated up and releases
thermal energy.

Sunlight Wheel Hot Water Heater | Incandescent bulb |

Incandescent bulb

Prediction: Light energy from the sun is transferred to

mechanical energy that moves the wheel and powers the light
bulb or heats the water.

Simulation: Light energy does not move the wheel, so no water

is heated and the bulb is not lit up.

Steam Wheel Hot Water Heater | Incandescent bulb |

Incandescent bulb

Prediction: As the steam comes out of the kettle, the flow of

energy will be thermal and it will power the wheel which will
light up the incandescent light bulb.

Simulation: Thermal energy from the steam is transformed into

mechanical energy which turns the wheel. This causes

Created by The North Carolina School of Science and Math.

Copyright 2012. North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. 3
electrical energy to flow through the wire and produce thermal
and light energy out of the bulb, or heat up the water.

Bicycle Wheel Hot Water Heater | Incandescent bulb |

Incandescent bulb

Prediction: Energy from the bicycle causes the wheel to move

and power the light bulb or heat the water.

Simulation: Mechanical energy from the bicycle is transferred to

the wheel from chemical energy inside the human. The
mechanical energy then lights up the bulb with thermal and
light energy after going through a wire with electrical energy.

Water Solar Panel Hot Water Heater | Incandescent bulb |

Incandescent bulb

Prediction: Water cannot cause the solar panel to be effective

and light the bulb.

Simulation: As predicted, the mechanical energy from the

running water does not cause the solar panel to work and light
the bulb or heat the water.

Steam Solar Panel Hot Water Heater | Incandescent bulb |

Incandescent bulb

Prediction: The solar panel cannot pick up the thermal energy

emitted by the steam kettle.

Created by The North Carolina School of Science and Math.

Copyright 2012. North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. 4
Simulation: As predicted, the thermal and mechanical energy
that is caused by steam does not power the solar panel, and
the light bulb does not light up.

Sunlight Solar Panel Hot Water Heater | Incandescent bulb |

Incandescent bulb

Prediction: The light energy form the sun will cause the solar
panel to create electrical or thermal energy that will either
light up the incandescent light bulb or heat the water.

Simulation: Light energy from the sun is converted into

electrical energy by the solar panel, which causes the light
bulb to emit light energy and thermal energy or the water to
be heated and emit thermal energy.

Bicycle Solar Panel Hot Water Heater | Incandescent bulb |

Incandescent bulb

Prediction: The bicycle will not cause the solar panel to pick up
energy and the bulb will not light up or the water will not be
heated up.

Simulation: As predicted, the bicycle does not lead to production

of energy by the solar panel.

Created by The North Carolina School of Science and Math.

Copyright 2012. North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. 5