Energy Stores and Transfers

Learning Objective
To understand the energy changes that take place when a system
changes.

Success Criteria
• To identify different ways that energy is stored and transferred.
• To produce energy diagrams to show how energy is transferred.
• To compare the ways that energy is stored and transferred when a
system changes.
 What Can You Remember about
Energy?

What are the units used for energy?

What are the eight ways that energy can be stored?

What are the four pathways that transfer energy from one store to another?
 Units of Energy
Energy is measured in joules (J).
One joule is a very small amount of energy so you will often see the quantity
of energy in a store given in kilojoules (kJ).
One kilojoule is equal to 1000 joules.

How many joules are there in 3.2 kJ? How many kilojoules are equal to
634 000 J?
To convert kJ to J, we need to To convert J to kJ, we need to
multiply by 1000. divide by 1000.

3.2 × 1000 = 3200 J 634 000 ÷ 1000 = 634 kJ

 Energy Stores
An energy store is a way that energy is stored in or by objects.
You need to describe eight different ways that energy is stored.
 Energy Stores
Chemical Store
The energy stored in the bonds of a substance or group of
substances, for example the chemicals inside a battery, food or
muscles.

Kinetic Store
The energy of a moving object.

Gravitational Potential Store

The energy stored when an object is lifted in a
gravitational field. The higher the position of the object
from earth, the energy increases
Elastic Potential Store
The energy stored when an object has been
stretched or compressed.
 Energy Stores

Nuclear Store
The energy stored in the nucleus of an atom.

Magnetic Store
The energy stored when repelling poles have been pushed closer together
or when attracting poles have been pulled further apart.

Electrostatic Store
The energy stored when repelling charges have been
pushed closer together or when attracting charges
have been pulled further apart.
 Energy Stores
Internal (Thermal) Store
The total kinetic and potential energy of the particles that
make up a system.

Energy is stored inside a system by the particles that make up that system.
This is called the internal energy store. Most of the energy stored here is
due to the vibrations (kinetic energy) of the particles.

When particles have more energy in their internal energy store they vibrate
faster and the temperature of the object is higher. For this reason, you may
also see this store called the thermal store.
 Energy Pathways
An energy pathway is a way that energy is transferred from one energy
store to another.
There are four different pathways for energy transfer that you need to be
able to describe.
 Energy Pathways
In the first two pathways, energy is transferred by heating.

Heating via Particle Movement

Energy is transferred by Heating via Radiation
conduction or convection Energy is transferred by waves.
because of a temperature
difference between two objects.
 Energy Pathways
In the second two pathways, energy is transferred by doing work.
Work is done when a force makes an object or charge move.

Work Done Electrically Work Done Mechanically

Energy is transferred by a current
when charges move due to a
potential difference.
Here, the battery does work on the
charges to make them move around
the circuit.
Energy is transferred by a force
making something move through a
distance.
Here, the people do work by
pushing or pulling the trolley to
make it move.
 Energy Systems

A system is an object or group of objects that interact.

When a system changes, there are changes to the way that energy is stored
in the system.

The total energy of a closed system is always the same before and after the
changes.

total energy stored before = total energy stored after

 Energy Systems
In this system, the Bunsen burner is heating the water.

Suggest where energy is stored in this system.

In the chemical bonds of the fuel (gas) – a
chemical energy store.
In the movement of particles that make up
the objects – an internal energy store.

Describe how energy is being transferred in

this system.
Energy is being transferred from the gas to
the water by both heating pathways,
heating via particle movement and heating
via radiation.
 Energy Analysis
It can be useful to compare where energy is stored before and after an
energy transfer.

To make a comparison, we need to decide on the start and end points of the
change to the system.

Start Point: The Bunsen End Point: The Bunsen burner

burner has just been turned on. has been on for 5 minutes.
 Energy Analysis
In this system, energy is transferred from the chemical
energy store of the gas to the internal energy store of the
water, equipment and surroundings.

The transfer happens along two pathways: heating via

radiation and heating via particle movement.

The total energy stored in the system at the end is the

same as the total energy stored at the start. It is just
stored in a different way.

internal energy store

energy

chemical energy store

start point end point

 Energy Analysis
In this system, the battery-powered drone flies up into the air.

Start Point: The drone is

stationary on the ground.

End Point: The drone is flying

in the air.

As the drone flies upwards:

chemical
The energy stored in the ___________________________ store decreases.
gravitational potential store increases.
The energy stored in the ___________________________
kinetic
The energy stored in the ___________________________ store increases.
internal
The energy stored in the ___________________________ store increases.
 Energy Analysis
In this system, the battery-powered drone flies up into the air.

Start Point: The drone is

stationary on the ground.

End Point: The drone is flying

in the air.

As the drone flies upwards:

electrically
Energy is transferred ___________________ from the battery to the motor.

mechanically from the motor to raise the drone

Energy is transferred ___________________
in Earth’s gravitational field.
 Energy Comparisons
Two systems are shown below. Compare the ways that energy is stored and
transferred when each system changes.

System 1
Start Point: The toy is on the table
and the spring is compressed.

End Point: The toy is at the highest

point of its jump.

System 2
Start Point: The car is stationary at End Point: The car is stationary at the
the top of the ramp. bottom of the ramp.
 Energy Comparisons
In system 1, the energy is initially
System 1 stored in the elastic store. In system 2,
it is stored in the gravitational
potential store.

In both systems, energy is transferred

mechanically as the system changes.

In system 1, the energy stored in the

gravitational potential store increases.
In system 2, the energy stored in the
System 2 gravitational potential store
decreases.

At the end point in system 1, energy is

stored in the gravitational potential
store of the toy. At the end point in
system 2, energy is stored in the
internal (thermal) store of the
equipment and surroundings.
 Energy Comparisons
Two systems are shown below. Compare the ways that energy is stored and
transferred when each system changes.

System 3
End Point: The torch has been on for
Start Point: The torch is off. 5 minutes.

System 4 End Point: The motor is off and the

Start Point: The motor is off. load has been lifted.
 Energy Comparisons
In both systems, energy is initially
System 3 stored in the chemical store of the
battery.

Energy is transferred electrically from

the battery in both systems.

In system 3, energy is transferred to

the motor, whereas in system 4,
energy is transferred to the bulb.

In system 4, energy is then transferred

System 4 mechanically to the gravitational
potential store of the load.

In both systems, energy is transferred

by heating to the internal (thermal)
store of the surroundings. In system 3,
energy is transferred via radiation, but
in system 4, energy is transferred via
particles due to friction.
 Energy Diagrams
We can display energy transfers in an energy transfer diagram.

The boxes indicate the parts of the system where energy is stored. The type
of energy store is labelled underneath each box.

The arrows represent the pathways that transfer energy from one store to
the next.

heating via radiation

methane
heating via particle movement water
gas

chemical internal
energy energy
store store
 Energy Diagrams
In this system, energy is transferred to more than one place.

heating via radiation

equipment
heating via particle movement
internal

heating via radiation

methane gas water
heating via particle movement
chemical internal

heating via radiation

surroundings
heating via particle movement
internal
 Energy Diagrams
Draw an energy diagram to show the changes to the systems shown below.

System 1 System 2 Start Point: The north

and south poles of the
Start Point: The ball magnets are touching.
is held stationary
above the ground.

End Point: The ball End Point: The

is compressed as it north and south poles
hits the floor. have been separated.

System 3 System 4
Start Point: End Point: The crisp Start Point: End Point: The torch
The crisp has has burnt and the The torch is off. has been on for 5
just been lit. flame has gone out. minutes.
 Energy Diagrams
System 1
A bouncy ball is dropped from a height.

End Point: The ball is

compressed as it hits the floor.

Start Point: The ball is held

stationary above the ground.

ball raised in pathway: mechanically

Earth’s compressed ball
gravitational field

store: gravitational potential store: elastic potential

 Energy Diagrams
System 1
A bouncy ball is dropped from a height.

End Point: The ball is

compressed as it hits the floor.

Start Point: The ball is held

stationary above the ground.

The energy associated with the gravitational potential store has decreased .

The energy associated with the elastic potential store has increased .

The total energy in the system has stayed the same .

 Energy Diagrams
System 2
Two magnets are pulled a short distance apart by a person.

Start Point: The north and End Point: The

south poles of the magnets north and south poles
are touching. have been separated.

pathway: mechanically
the person’s attracting poles
muscles pulled apart

store: chemical store: magnetic

 Energy Diagrams
System 2
Two magnets are pulled a short distance apart by a person.

Start Point: The north and End Point: The

south poles of the magnets north and south poles
are touching. have been separated.

The energy associated with the chemical store has decreased .

The energy associated with the magnetic store has increased .

The total energy in the system has stayed the same .

 Energy Diagrams
System 3
A crisp is set on fire.

Start Point: The crisp has End Point: The crisp has burnt
just been lit. and the flame has gone out.

pathway: heating via radiation

crisp pathway: heating via particles environment

store: chemical store: internal (thermal)

 Energy Diagrams
System 3
A crisp is set on fire.

Start Point: The crisp has End Point: The crisp has burnt
just been lit. and the flame has gone out.

The energy associated with the internal store has increased .

The energy associated with the chemical store has decreased .

The total energy in the system has stayed the same .

 Energy Diagrams
System 4
A battery-powered torch is switched on.

Start Point: The torch is off. End Point: The torch has been on
for 5 minutes.

pathway: pathway:
electrically heating
battery bulb environment
via radiation

store: chemical store: internal store: internal

 Energy Diagrams
System 4
A battery-powered torch is switched on.

Start Point: The torch is off. End Point: The torch has been on
for 5 minutes.

The energy associated with the chemical store has decreased .

The energy associated with the internal store has increased .

The total energy in the system has stayed the same .