Energy is everywhere, in our diet and our daily lives. Also, it comes in different forms and is very interesting.
Forms of energy
There are a lot of forms, or types of energy. There is kinetic energy, which is made when a body is in motion and heat which makes us feel cold, warm and hot. Also, there is electric energy that is already in our lives and chemical energy which is produced when reactions occur. Gravitational and magnetic energy are energy in the related fields and radiant energy which light has. There is also rest mass energy, which represents the mass of an object.
Mass and energy can change their forms, for example, radiant energy from a laser can heat up a wall. Also, when gravitational waves are produced, the 2 black holes lose a few solar masses in the form of a wave.
Instances of energy
Now, it’s time to talk about other examples of energy to improve your understandings of energy. For example, everyone knows Sun is shining on Earth’s surface. First of all, the nuclear energy in Sun’s core is released and flies all the way out as the form of light. But the dense particles are a maze that a photon takes years to get out. Then, when they finally get out of the surface, it goes to Earth and other planets. It heats Earth at just the right temperature that that water is in its liquid form.
Then, when you eat, you get chemical energy. They soon turn into kinetic energy when you move, radiant energy as you emits infrared light, electric energy that keeps your brain working, and a lot more. Batteries work like that too. Also, electrical equipment that emit sound waves uses an electromagnet to turn magnetic energy into sound wave via kinetic energy.
Also, you are not floating free on Earth because of its gravitational energy. Moreover, you see auroras and don’t get harmed by solar wind due to the magnetic energy in Earth’s magnetic field.
Have you heard of renewable energy? Well, this uses this method too. Wind and tidal power uses kinetic energy, solar power uses radiant energy, etc. to turn into electricity.
Energy can also be used to exert force. The more energy you use, the more force you exert. For example, pushing a gram is much easier than pushing a kilogram. A Joule is when a force of a Newton is applied to an object that has moved a meter.
Energy and Mass
And don’t forget mass is also a form of energy. For example, if you approach the speed of light, your mass increases due to part of your energy being mass. The more energy you add, the more mass it has. It is called Mass-Energy Equivalence, and can be explained by a formula:
So, energy is an important thing, and don’t forget you lose a bit of your mass (not lowering your weight by 1 or 2 kilograms) when you lose energy and gain some when you gain energy.