Name: Derick Georges Date: 9/21/2022

Student Exploration: Energy Conversions

Vocabulary: chemical energy, electrical current, energy, fossil fuel, global warming,
gravitational potential energy, hydroelectricity, kinetic energy, light, nonrenewable resource,
nuclear energy, renewable resource, sound, thermal energy

Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)

1. What are sources of electricity? List as many as you can.

These are some of the sources of electricity, nuclear power plants, solar panels, wind

turbines, water turbines, and ethanol plant.

2. Where do people and other animals get energy to move around?

The main source of energy is the sun, and the sun gives energy to plants and then humans

or animals eat the food that the plants make and that gives them energy.

3. Where do plants get energy to live and grow?

They get energy from the Sun.

Gizmo Warm-up
In the Energy Conversions Gizmo, be sure Information
mode is selected. Click on each of the different items in the
scene and read about each one.

1. Which object converts sunlight into sugars?

The object that turns sunlight into sugars is plants.

2. Which object converts wind power to electricity?

The object that converts wind power to electricity is

wind turbines

3. Which object converts light to electricity?

The object that converts light to electricity is Solar panels.

4. Which object converts electricity to light?

2019
The object that converts electricity into light is light bulb.

2019
 Activity A: Get the Gizmo ready:
Energy Paths  Select the Path mode.

Question: Where do we get energy to run, climb, play, and do all the other things we do?

1. Form hypothesis: Where do you think we humans get energy?

Humans get energy from the sun and food.

2. Create a path: You will now form an energy path to see where our energy comes from.

A. Click on the person and read. Where do people get energy?

The person got energy from food.

B. Now click on the chicken. Where does the chicken get energy?

The chicken got energy from the food.

C. Click on the corn. Where does the corn get energy?

The plant got energy from the sun.

D. Click on the Sun. How does the Sun get energy?

The sun gets energy when hydrogen is changed into helium by a nuclear reaction
this produces heat and light

E. Fill in the energy path below starting with the Sun.

Sun → corn → ethanol plant → light

3. Apply: Click Reset and then click on the toaster. Using the Gizmo, create four energy paths
to explain how the toaster could get its energy. (One path will only have three objects.)

A. Sun → corn → ethanol plant → toaster

B. Sun → air → wind turbines → toaster

C. Sun → water → Dam → toaster

D. Sun → Solar panel → toaster

4. Analyze: Where does each path begin?

Each path begins with the sun

2019
Draw conclusions: What would life on Earth be like without the Sun?

Life on earth without the sun would be impossible it would be too cold.

Activity B: Get the Gizmo ready:

Energy  Click Reset.
Conversions  Check that Path mode is still selected.

Question: How is energy changed from one form to another?

1. Classify: Energy is the ability to exert force and cause change. Energy has many forms:
 Kinetic energy is energy of motion. All moving things have kinetic energy.
o Sound is energy of vibrating materials or air molecules.
o Thermal energy is the energy of tiny moving particles. As an object heats up,
particles move faster and thermal energy increases.
 Gravitational potential energy is stored energy that exists based on the position of
an object. The higher an object is, the greater its gravitational potential energy.
 Electrical current is energy that comes from moving charged particles.
 Light is electromagnetic waves that are visible to the eye.
 Chemical energy is energy that is stored in the bonds holding atoms together.
 Nuclear energy is energy released when atoms split apart or join together.

2. Create path: Create an energy path in the Gizmo, starting at the Sun. For each step of the
path, describe the energy conversion that takes place. The first one is done for you. Discuss
your answers with your classmates and teacher.

Energy Path Energy conversion

Nuclear energy is converted to light and thermal energy.

____Sun_____
Wind energy is converted to kinetic
Air
Kinetic energy is converted to electrical energy
wind turbine
Electrical energy is converted to light energy
Light

3. On your own: Create at least two more paths on the Gizmo. List the energy conversions that
happen along each path. Record your work on separate paper or in your notebook.

2019
4. Apply: Where in the Gizmo (and in real life) do the following energy conversions occur?
A lamp is converting electrical energy to light energy

Chemical to thermal to electrical current:

Corn to ethanol plant to lamp
Gravitational potential to kinetic to electrical current: _______________________________

Get the Gizmo ready:

Extension:
 Click Reset.
Renewable Energy
 Select the Information mode.

Introduction: Over 80% of our energy comes from the burning of fossil fuels such as oil, gas,
and coal. Fossil fuels are fairly cheap and plentiful, but there are several problems:
 Fossil fuels are nonrenewable resources. That means there is a limited supply. Once
the world runs out, there is no way to get more.
 Burning fossil fuels adds carbon dioxide to the air. Most scientists agree that this causes
the gradual warming of Earth’s climate, or global warming.

Question: What types of energy do not harm our environment?

1. Describe: Four examples of renewable resources are featured in the Energy Conversions
Gizmo. These resources are produced all the time, so they will not run out. Read about each
energy source, and then explain how each is produced in your own words.

A. Wind power:

Wind power is generated when the sun heats the earth which creates heat and
allows the air to heat up which causes wind and then the wind turns the blades on a
turbine the blades are connected to a generator which has a copper magnet and a
wire, and the wind spins the wire and the copper magnet to create electricity.

Waterpower (also called hydroelectricity):

Waterpower is generated when the sun heats up the surface of the water and that
action causes evaporation which goes up into the air and causes clouds to for which
makes rain or snow. The water spins the turbine blades and they are connected to a
generator

B. Solar power: _________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

C. Ethanol: ____________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2019
 ___________________________________________________________________

2. On your own: Learn more about one of these renewable resources using the internet or by
reading library books. Explain its advantages and disadvantages to your teacher and class.

2019