Revision Guide for Y8 Science Exam—Spring 2024

Key Informa on:

 The science exam is 60 minutes long
 There will be ques ons on Y7 and Y8 science
 The knowledge organiser sheets in this booklet show all the topics you will have studied between star ng Y7 and the Y8 spring exam
Revision Tips:
 You could use the key word defini ons as ques ons and answers to prac ce recall of key defini ons
 Why not turn some defini ons into flashcards to prac ce?
 BBC Bitesize—KS3 Science—is a great resource to use
Topics:
Y7
 Biology—Movement, Varia on, Cells, Human Reproduc on, Interdependence
 Chemistry—Metals and Non-metals, Par cles, Separa on
 Physics—Speed, Voltage Current & Resistance, Energy Costs, Contact Forces
Y8 (so far!)
 Biology—Breathing and Gas Exchange, Diges on
 Chemistry—Elements, Acids & Alkalis
 Physics—Electromagnets, Sound & Light, Energy Transfers
 Key Words
Antagonis c Muscles working in unison to create movement. . Joints Places where bones meet.
muscle pair
Bone Marrow Tissue found inside some bones where new blood cells are made. Ligaments Connect bones in joints.

Car lage Smooth ssue found at the end of bones, which reduces fric on Tendons Connect muscles to bones.
between them
Year 7 Science - Movement

Skeletal System Joints

The adult human skeletal system is com- Joints consist of bones and muscles
posed of bones and muscle. that are connected by tendons and
ligaments
It also contains the associated ssues re-
quired to move the bones around a joint. The ends of the bone are o en
covered in car lage to reduce fric-

The role of the skeleton is to: Antagonis c Muscles

1. Protect the organs Muscles can only contract

(to pull a bone) not relax (to
2. Support the body
push a bone)
3. Enable movement
4. Produce red blood cells Muscles work in antagonis c
pairs, so that the bone can be pulled in both direc ons.
 Key Words
Species A group of living things that have more in common with each other than other groups.
Varia on The varia on within and between species.
Con nuous Where differences between living things can have any numerical value.
Varia on
Discon nuous Where differences between living things can only be grouped into categories.
Varia on
Year 7 Science - Varia on

Species are groups of living things that have more in These pet budgies all belong to the same species but show varia on
common with each other than other groups. They can in colour.
also breed with one another to produce viable off-

Interspecies Varia on—Varia on between species—you look very

different from these budgies
Intraspecies Varia on - Varia on within species—you look different
from other humans.
spring. Sparrows, starlings, blue- ts and blackbirds are
When there is li le varia on between species it suggests they are
some examples of common bird speciesin the UK.
closely related.
 Imagine your teacher asked the class to arrange Varia ons in the species can help them to survive in different environments.
themselves in height order—a er a bit of discussion
and swapping about this would be rela vely easy.
This is called con nuous data whereby the differ-
ences in heights can be given numerical values eg.
1.50m, 1.45m, 1.60m etc.
Year 7 Science - Varia on

Some peppered moths are dark in colour and some are light in colour. This helps the moths to
camouflage in different environments.

Imagine your teacher asked the class to arrange
themselves in eye colour order. This would be very
difficult. This type of data is called discon nuous data
as the varia on in eye colour can be split into
categories. Blue eyes, brown eyes, green eyes for
example.
Characteris cs in an individual are the result of both gene c and environmental varia on.
For example, the weight of a dog depends partly on its genes (inherited) and partly what it eats
(environmental).
The height of a sunflower depends partly on its genes and partly on how much light and water it
gets.
 Key Words
Cell The smallest living unit of an organism. Contains different parts to Cell membrane Surrounds the cell and controls what moves into or out of it.
carry out life processes.
Uni-cellular Living things made up of only one cell. Cytoplasm Jelly-like substance where most chemical reac ons happen in
the cell.
Mul -cellular Living things made up of many types of cells. Mitochondria Part of the cell where energy is released from food.
Tissue Group of the same cells that work together to do the same func on. Ribosome Part of the cell where proteins are made.

Organ Group of different ssues that work together to carry out a Cell wall Not found in animal cells. Strengthens the cell. In plant cells it
is made of cellulose.
Year 7 Science—Cells

Organ system Group of organs that work together. Vacuole Area of cell containing liquid. Stores some nutrients in a plant cell.

Light Piece of equipment that uses lenses to produce a magnified image. Chloroplast Found in plant cells. Absorb light energy to make food for the plant.

Microscopes

Animal cells and plant cells: Nucleus, cell membrane, You need to remember the names of each part of a micro-
cytoplasm, mitochondria, ribosomes. scope and the equa on for calcula ng total magnifica on:

Total magnifica on = eyepiece lens x objec ve lens

Plant cells only: Chloroplasts, cell wall, vacuole.
magnifica on magnifica on
 Organisa on
Mul cellular organisms are composed of cells which are organised into ssues, organs and organ systems to carry out life processes. There are many types
of cell. Each has a different structure or feature so it can do a specific job. You need to understand the order of organisa on:
Smallest Largest

Cell Tissue Organ Organ system Organism

(e.g. 1 muscle cell) (e.g. muscle ssue) (e.g. stomach) (e.g. diges ve system) (e.g. human)
Year 7 Science—Cells

Examples of organ systems in the body

Muscular skeletal system: Muscles and bones working together to cause Mul cellular organisms have lots of organ systems working together.
movement and support

Here are some examples of where some of the organ systems in the human
Circulatory system: Transports substances around the body. body carry out their role:

Nervous system: Sends electrical impulses to control things in our body.

Immune system: Protects the body against infec ons.

Reproduc ve system: Produces sperm and eggs, and is where the foetus
develops.

Diges ve system: Breaks down and then absorbs food molecules.

Respiratory system: Replaces oxygen and removes carbon dioxide from

the blood.
 Key Words
Food web Shows how food chains in an ecosystem are linked. Popula on The number of one type of species living in an area.
Food chain Part of a food web. Starts with a producer and ends with Producer Green plant or algae that makes its food using the energy in
a top predator. sunlight. Start of a food chain.
Ecosystem All the living things and non-living environment within a Consumer Animal that eats other animals or plants.
given area.
Year 7 Science— Interdependence

Environment The surrounding air, water and soil where an organism Decomposer Organism that breaks down dead animals or plants so that
lives. nutrients can be recycles and returned to the surrounding
water or soil.

Food chains: Food webs:

The arrows in a food chain show the transfer of energy Food webs show how mul ple food chains interact with
through an ecosystem. each other. They also show how certain organisms com-
pete for food sources at each level of the food chain.
They start with a producer (plant or green algae), e.g. the
corn below, which uses the energy in sunlight to make food .
Food chains end with a consumer. This is o en a predator or
carnivore that eats other animals e.g. the owl below is a
predator that eats the rat.

Interdependence:
Organisms in a food web depend on each other for nutrients. So, a change in one popula on leads to changes in others.
The popula on of a species is affected by the number of its predators and prey, disease, pollu on and compe on be-
tween individuals for limited resources such as water and nutrients.
 metal Shiny, good conductors of electricity and heat, malleable and duc le, and usually solid at room temperature.

Year 7 Science— Metals and non-metals Non metal Dull, poor conductors of electricity and heat, bri le and usually solid or gaseous at room temperature.

Displacement: Reac on where a more reac ve metal takes the place of a less reac ve metal in a
compound.
Oxida on Reac on in which a substance combines with oxygen.

Reac vity: The tendency of a substance to undergo a chemical reac on.

Salt A substance made during a reac on with an acid.

General equa on A equa on that shows the products formed when certain types of substances are reacted.

Test for hydrogen Add a lit splint to the gas. If the gas is hydrogen it will burn with a squeaky pop

Metal and non metal facts

 Iron, nickel and cobalt are mag-
ne c elements.
 Mercury is a metal that is liquid at
room temperature.
 Bromine is a non-metal that is liq-
uid at room temperature.
 Metals are found on the le of
the periodic table. The non metals
are on the right.
 Chemical reac ons can be shown by a chemical equa on. When elements react with oxygen it is called oxida on.
Year 7 Science— Metals and non-metals The product of oxida on are called oxides.
Reactants —> products
Copper + oxygen —> copper oxide
Sulphur + oxygen —> sulphur dioxide
Chemicals that are present Chemicals that are
at the start Non metals form substances that are acidic.
present at the end
Metals form compounds that are bases.

Some metals will react with acids to make a salt and hydrogen gas.
The general equa on for this reac on is
Acid + metal—> salt + hydrogen
Eg
Hydrochloric acid + magnesium —> magnesium chloride + hydrogen
Not all metals react the same. Some metals react much quicker
and more violently than others. We say these metals are more re-
ac ve
You can compare the reac vity of a metal by reac ng it with water
or acid.

Naming the salt

The first name comes from the metal
The second name comes from the acid

acid Salt second name

Hydrochloric acid chloride

The more reac ve metal will give out more hydrogen bubbles
Sulphuric acid sulphate
more quickly and will cause a greater temperature rise
Nitric acid sulphate
 Key Words
Par cle A very ny object such as an atom or a molecule, too small to be Evaporate Change from a liquid to a gas at the surface of a liquid, at any temper-
seen with a microscope. ature.
Par cle Model A way to think about how substances behave in terms of small, Boil Change from a liquid to a gas of all the liquid when the temperature
moving par cles. reaches the boiling point.
Gas Pressure Caused by collisions of par cles with the walls of a container. Condense Change of state from gas to liquid when the temperature drops to the
boiling point.
Density How much ma er there is in a par cular volume, or how close Melt Change from solid to liquid when the temperature rises to the
Year 7 Science - Par cle Model

together the par cles are. mel ng point.

Freeze Change from liquid to a solid when the temperature drops to the Sublime Change from a solid directly into a gas.
mel ng point.
Diffusion The process by which par cles in liquids or gases spread out through random movement from a region where there are many to one where there are few.

Solid Liquid Gas

Par cles are very close together and Mel ng Par cles are close together but Evapora ng/Boiling Par cles are far apart from each
are neatly organised. Hard to com- randomly organised. Hard to other and randomly move. Easy to
press. Increasing Energy compress. Increasing Energy compress.

Par cles vibrate and have the least Par cles move past each other
amount of energy. and have more energy than a
solid, but less than a gas.
Very strong forces between par cles Strong forces between par cles.
Fixed shape and volume. Melt Fixed volume but do not have a
fixed shape. Take the shape of the
Decreasing Energy
bo om of the container.
Par cles move quickly in all direc-
ons. They have the most energy.
Weak forces between par cles.
Condense Do not have fixed shape or volume.
Take the shape of the container.
Decreasing Energy

Diffusion: Gas Pressure:

Low Pressure High Pressure
 Key Words
Solvent A substance, normally a liquid, that dissolves another Mixture Two or more pure substances mixed together, whose
substance. proper es are different to the individual substances.
Dissolve When a solute mixes completely with a solvent. Solu on Mixture formed when a solvent dissolves a solute.
Year 7 Science - Separa on Techniques

Soluble Property of a substance that will (will not) dissolve in a Solubility Maximum mass of solute that dissolves in a certain vol-
(insoluble) liquid. ume of solvent.
Pure substance Single type of material with nothing mixed in. Dis lla on Separa ng substances by boiling and condensing liquids
Filtra on Separa ng substances using a filter to produce a fil- Evapora on A way to separate a solid dissolved in a liquid by the liquid
trate (solu on) and residue. turning into a gas.
Solute A substance that can dissolve in a liquid. Chromatography Used to separate different coloured substances.

Dis lla on Chromatography Filtra on

thermometer
test tube folded filter
paper residue
Liebig condenser

cold water funnel

filter paper

sample
spot filtrate
beaker
seawater pencil line

heat dis lled

water

Different ways to separate mixtures, depending on their

proper es
Saltwater and sand Ink and water
 Key Words
Speed Distance travelled in a certain me. Units are m/s Rela ve mo on How two objects appear to move rela ve to each other
Average Speed Overall distance divided by overall me for a journey Resultant Force The overall effect of a number of forces added together
Accelera on How quickly speed changes Distance-Time Describes the journey of a moving object
Graph

Calcula ng Speed: Example: A car travels Effects of Resultant Forces:

450m in 9s A resultant force will always
Year 7 Science - Speed

cause an object to speed up

(accelerate) or change direc on

10N—7N = 3N resultant force

The car accelerates

Distance Time Graphs: Rela ve Mo on:

Constant Gradient = Constant Speed The red person is sta onary

Horizontal = Sta onary They see the cyclist moving at 5m/s

Steeper Gradient = Faster Speed They see the car moving at 15m/s

Increasing Gradient = Accelera ng

The blue cyclist is moving at 5m/s

The car appears to move at 10m/s

The person appears to move at 5m/s

in the other direc on

 Key Words
Component Devices such as light bulbs, motors and buzzers that make Voltage/ The poten al difference across a cell, electrical supply or elec-
use of energy transferred in a circuit. poten al trical component. It is measured in the unit volts (V)
Year 7 Science - Voltage, current and resistance

Electrical Materials that allow current to pass through them e.g. Voltmeter A device used to measure the voltage or poten al difference.
conductor metals.

Electrical Materials that do not allow current to pass through them Resistance The opposi on in an electrical component to the movement of
insulator e.g. plas cs. electrical charge through it. Measured in ohms .

Current Moving electric charges eg electrons moving through a Sta c When electric charge is not flowing.
metal wire . electricity
Ammeter A device used to measure electrical current. Electric field Exists around a charged object. Can exert a non contact force.

Series circuits have no branches. If Resistance

a component breaks or is discon-
Ohm’s Law can be used to calculate resistance using
nected, the circuit is broken and all
the components stop working. The this equa on:
current is the same across each
Resistance = Voltage ÷ Current
point in a series circuit. The more
bulbs you add, the dimmer the bulbs
will be.

Parallel circuits have components Electric fields

connected on different branches of
the wire. If a component breaks or is Electric charges can be posi ve or nega ve.
disconnected from one parallel wire,
Similar charges repel.
the components on the other wires
will s ll work. The current in the Different charges a ract.
circuit splits between the different
branches . The total current in all The strength of the electric field decreases with
the branches is equal to the total distance.
current in the circuit.
 Key Words
Energy When transferred, energy gives something the ability Renewable Resource An energy resource that can be replaced, and will
to make something happen (Joules) not run out
Power How quickly energy is transferred by a device (Wa s) Coal, Oil, Natural Gas Examples of three fossil fuels
Energy Resource Something with stored energy, that can be Fossil Fuels Non-renewable energy resources that are formed
from the remains of ancient plants or animals
released in a useful way
Non-Renewable An energy source that cannot be replaced and will be used up
Year 7 Science - Energy Costs

Paying for Electricity Genera ng Electricity

You pay for the amount of electricity you use in your home; the Energy Renewable or “Generates
more energy that is transferred, the more you pay. Non-Renewable
Resource electricity …”
Fossil Fuels Non-Renewable … by being burnt .
To calculate the cost of home energy use, use these formulae:
Solar Power Renewable ...from sunlight.

Energy Used (kWh) = Power (kW) x Time (h) Wind Power Renewable … by wind turning a
Turbine.
Cost (pence) = Ener- Units: kW = Kilowa s gy Used Hydroelectric Renewable … by water falling from a
(kWh) x Price per kWh dam, turning a generator.
h = Hours
(pence) Wave Renewable … using the energy of
waves in the sea.
Example: What is the cost if Mr Norman used an oven with a Geothermal Renewable … using heat under-
power ra ng of 2.5 kW for 2 hours? His electricity provider ground.
charges 10p per kWh.
Which Energy Resource to Use?
Step 1) Energy Used = Power x Time Governments need to think about…
= 2.5 x 2 = 5kWh - Cost to build / run - Reliability of fuel
Step 2) Cost = Energy Used x Price per kWh - Availability of fuel - Safety
= 5 x 10 = 50p - Environmental impact
 Key Words
Contact Force Forces that act when objects or surfaces are touching Drag Resis ve force an object feels when it moves through
fluid
Equilibrium When all forces ac ng on an object are balanced by oppos- Streamlined The overall effect of a number of forces added togeth-
ing equal and opposite forces er
Newton Unit of force Tension Force that pulls things apart, causing stretching
Bri le Materials that barely change shape before they break or Compression Force that pushes together, causing squashing
snap
Elas c Materials that return to original shape when force is re- Limit of The point beyond which extension of a spring is no
Year 8: Contact Forces

moved longer propor onal to the load force

Propor onality

Equilibrium: When an Effects of Resultant Forces:

object is in equilibrium, equal and opposite
A resultant force will always
forces act on the object meaning that the
resultant force is zero. cause an object to speed up
A floa ng object is in equilibrium. Its (accelerate) or change direc on
weight is equal and opposite to the up-
10N—7N = 3N resultant force
thrust.
This car will Accelerate
Drag & Streamlining
Hooke’s Law:
Objects that move through fluid (air or water) feel resis ve forces
called drag. The extension of a
The shape of objects can spring is directly pro-
be designed to reduce drag por onal to the force
– this is called being
applied, up to the
streamlined.
limit of
Some animals such as
sharks are naturally
propor onality.
streamlined
 Key Words
Elements What all substances are made up of, and which con- Compound Pure substances made up of two or more elements
tain only on type of atom. strongly joined together
Atom The smallest par cle of an element that can exist. Chemical formula Shows the elements present in a compound and their rel-
a ve propor ons
Molecules Two to thousands of atoms joined together. Most non Polymer A molecule made of thousands of smaller molecules in a
-metals exist as small or giant molecules. repea ng pa ern. Plas cs are man-made polymers,
starch is a natural polymer.
Year 8 Science - Elements

Name of Ele-
Symbol
ment
hydrogen H

oxygen O

Element Compound nitrogen N

Molecule
Most substances are not elements. They contain atoms of different carbon C
Two to thousands of at-
Elements are par cles of one ele- elements. They have different
oms joined together iron Fe
ment. proper es to the elements they
contain. zinc Zn
One Carbon
Two Oxygen copper Cu

sulphur S

CO2 aluminium Al

iodine I
A chemical formula tells
you what elements are in bromine Br
the compound and the
chlorine Cl
ra o of elements in the
compound. sodium Na
Polymers are long chains of repea ng units.
potassium K

magnesium Mg
 Key Words
Trachea The windpipe-tube connec ng the back of the mouth to Capillary A small blood vessel
the lungs
Bronchi/ The 2 main branches from the trachea (windpipe) Vital Capacity The amount of air breathed out following a deep breath
Year 8 Science - Breathing and Gas Exchange

Bronchus (Lung Volume)

Bronchioles The smaller branches of the bronchi that lead to alveoli Gas Exchange Process where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged
Alveoli Tiny air sacs of the lungs for gas exchange Ribs Curved pairs of bones protec ng the heart and lungs.
Lung Organs of gas exchange Tar Chemical in cigare es that causes lung disease.
Breathing The process of moving air into and out of the lungs Diffusion Par cle movement in liquids or gases that leads to an
even spread of par cles from a high to low concentra on.
Nico ne Addic ve substance in cigare es Respira on Life process where oxygen is used to release energy from
food
Asthma Disease affec ng the breathing system Cilia Tiny hair like structures that help keep mucus and dust
out of the lungs

The Breathing System

Ven la on; Inhala on

 Intercostal muscles contract

 Ribcage is pulled up and out
 The diaphragm contracts
and fla ens
 Chest volume increases
 The pressure in the lungs is
less than atmospheric pres-
sure, so air is drawn into the
 Ven la on; Exhala on Gas Exchange Between the Alveoli and Capillaries
 Intercostal muscles relax
 Ribcage moves down and in-
Year 8 Science - Breathing and Gas Exchange

wards
 The diaphragm relaxes and
moves up
 Chest volume decreases
 The pressure in the lungs is
greater than atmospheric
pressure, so air is pushed
out the lungs

Good Lung Health Poor Lung Health and Disease

Measuring Breathing
 Regular exercise im-  Asthma– the muscles in the bronchioles
 Independent Variable– the variable we change
proves breathing and ghten and thicken causing air passages
 Dependent Variable—the variable we measure strengthens the inter- to narrow making it hard to breathe
 Control Variable—the variables we keep the costal muscles
same

 Smoking—cigare es contain chemicals

such as nico ne (addic ve), tar (causes
lung cancer) and carbon monoxide
(reduces the oxygen the blood can carry).

Lung volume can be measured by blowing into a lung

volume bag
Year 8 Science - Electromagnets
 Key Words
Acid When dissolved in water, its solu on has a pH value less than 7 Neutralisa on The chemical reac on of an acid with a base in which a salt is formed
Alkali Its solu on has a pH value more than 7 Titra on Process to find out how much of a chemical there is in a solu on by
addi on of another liquid of a known strength un l an end point is
reached
Corrosive Reacts with materials and makes them dissolve Base A substance that neutralises an acid –those that dissolve in water are
called alkalis
Year 8 Science - Acids and Alkalis

pH Scale of acidity and alkalinity from 0 to 14 Litmus Indicator solu on

Indicator Substance used to iden fy whether an unknown solu on is acidic irritant Something that irritates and reddens the skin
or alkaline
neutral A solu on with a pH value of 7; it is neither an acid nor an alkali concentra on A measure of the number of par cles in a given volume.

Neutralisa on Acids, alkalis and pH

Indicators
Sodium hydroxide + hydrochloric acid → sodium chloride + water

General formula:

Litmus Universal Indicator paper

Acid + base → salt + water

Wasp Hazard Symbols

vinegar

corrosive irritant
Titra on
 Key Words
Vibra on A repea ng back and forth movement Oscilloscope A machine that can view sound waves as electronic signals
Volume How loud or quiet a sound is (decibels, Db) Absorp on Energy being transferred from wave to a material
Longitudinal A vibra on moving in the same direc on as the wave Auditory The highest and lowest frequencies that an animal can hear
Wave Range
Pitch How low or high a sound is Echo Reflec on of sound waves back to the listener
Year 8 Science - Sound and Light

Frequency Number of waves in a second (hertz, Hz) Vacuum A space with no par cles of ma er in

Speed of Sound What is Sound?

Gas Liquid Solid Sound is a vibra on, which travels as a

Longitudinal (Sound) Waves

Wavelength
Par cles far apart Par cles closer... Par cles very close

Slower Faster
Amplitude
Density Increases
Par cles collide more frequently
Comparing Sound Waves

Sound Facts
Vacuum Speed of Sound in Air Frequency Greater amplitude = louder sound
There are no par cles Sound travels at 330 meters The shorter the wave-
to vibrate, so there per second (m/s). This is a length, the higher the
are no sound waves. million mes slower than frequency, the higher
No sound can travel. the speed of light! pitched the sound Smaller wavelength = higher pitch
 Key Words
Incident Ray The incoming ray. Absorp on Energy being transferred from wave to a material
Reflected Ray The outgoing ray. Refrac on Change in the direc on of light going from one material
into another.
Normal Line From which angles are measured, at right angles to Transparent A material that allows all light to pass through it.
Year 8 Science - Sound and Light

the surface.
Angle of Reflec on Between the normal and the reflected ray. Translucent A material that allows some light to pass through it.
Angle of Incidence Between the normal and incident ray. Opaque A material that allows no light to pass through it.

Reflec on Refrac on Prisms

Normal
Reflected Ray Refracted Ray
Incident Ray

Angle of Refrac on

Angle of Incidence
Angle of Reflec on Angle of Incidence
Incident Ray

Light Facts Colours

 Light travels at 300 million metres per second in a vacuum.
 When a light ray meets a different medium, some of it is absorbed and some reflected.
 Different colours of light have different frequencies.
 Key Words

Nutrients A substance that provides essen al nourishment for living things. Humans Diges ve The collec on of organs within the body that
have 7 essen al nutrients: carbohydrates, fats/oils, proteins, minerals, work together to carry out diges on.
system
vitamins, fibre and water.
Balanced diet A diet containing each of the 7 nutrients in the right propor ons to keep the Villi Small, finger-like structures in the small
body healthy. intes ne. Increase the surface area for absorp-
on of food molecules.
Year 8 Science—Diges on

Malnutri on When the body does not receive enough of each of the essen al nutrients to Enzymes Protein molecules that speed up chemical
remain healthy. reac ons. There are 3 diges ve enzymes: amyl-
ase, protease and lipase.
Deficiency Diseases that result from a lack of specific nutrients over a long period of Mechanical The process of large chunks/molecules being
me. O en the result of malnutri on. physically broken down e.g. by chewing.
disease diges on
Diges on The process by which large, insoluble food molecules are broken down Chemical The process of large, insoluble food molecules
mechanically and chemically into small, soluble molecules (small enough to (e.g. starch) being broken down by enzymes
diges on
be absorbed through the bloodstream. into small, soluble molecules (e.g. glucose).

The diges ve system Enzymes

Enzymes are specific to the reac ons that they catalyse.

Each enzyme has a substrate that is complementary to the
shape of the enzyme’s ac ve site.
A er the reac on, products are formed.
 Key Words
Thermal energy store Filled when an object is warmed up
Chemical energy store Emp ed during chemical reac ons when energy is transferred to the surroundings
Kine c energy store Filled when an object speeds up
Gravita onal poten al energy store Filled when an object is raised
Elas c energy store Filled when a material is stretched or compressed
Year 8 Science - Energy Transfers

Dissipated Become spread out wastefully

The kine c energy store of a Cheetah fills

up as it sprints towards its prey. Aluminium and iron
oxide react during the On a roller coaster ride the kine c energy stores and the
thermite reac on gravita onal poten al energy stores are filled and
emptying their chemical emp ed. Some energy is dissipated.
energy store but filling
the thermal energy A—The roller coaster in not moving—its kine c energy
store of the store is empty but its gravita onal poten al energy
surroundings. store is full.

The elas c energy store of this catapult is
filled up when it is stretched and emp es
when it is released.
The energy does not B—The gravita onal poten al energy store has emp ed
disappear but is into the kine c energy store.
dissipated to the C—The kine c energy store has emp ed into the
surroundings. gravita onal poten al energy store.
D—The gravita onal poten al energy store has emp ed
into the kine c energy store.
 If energy cannot be created or destroyed it can only be moved from one store The amount of useful energy an appliance transfers in comparison to
to another. Not all energy movements are useful! the energy it takes in is called its efficiency. This can be calculated using
the following equa on:

90J
Year 8 Science—Energy Transfers

If an appliance transfers 100J of electrical energy into 45J or useful

energy and 55J of wasted energy it’s efficiency would be:
45/100 x 100% = 45%
10J
100J
Home owners must select appliances in their houses carefully and
choose those which are more efficient. Not only will this save them
Energy transfers can be illustrated in a Sankey diagram. The thickness of the
money but it will also reduce the amount of carbon dioxide produced
arrows represent the amount of energy in each store.
by genera ng electricity.