Using energy

HAVE YOU EVER

WONDERED…
• why you get hot when
you run?
• what the energy stars
on refrigerators and
televisions mean?
• how a hybrid car works?

After completing this chapter students should be able to:

• recall that kinetic energy is the energy possessed • use flow diagrams to illustrate changes between
by moving bodies different forms of energy
• describe different forms of potential energy, such • discuss how energy-efficient design can reduce
as gravitational, chemical and elastic energy consumption
• identify different forms of energy based on their • outline the development of vehicles over time,
effects including the science used in solar-powered
• recall that heat energy is often a by-product of vehicles.
energy transfer

170
 Energy around you
5.1
As a roller-coaster speeds
downwards, the wheels of
the rolling cart heat up. As a
passenger, you feel the wind
rushing past you, your hair
flies around and you
probably scream! Energy is
needed to make all these
things happen. Energy exists
in many different forms,
from electrical energy to
sound, light and heat energy.
Energy can change forms,
but it is never lost.

science fun
Making spiders What does energy do?
Can you release energy
On a typical day, many things happen around
by mixing two substances
you. People walk and drive around in cars, birds
together? SAFETY!
chirp, leaves fall from trees, clothes dry on the
Do not eat food prepared
Collect this … in the science laboratory. clothesline and music comes out of an iPod®.
• lemonade Each of these activities needs energy. It is hard
• ice-cream to explain what energy is, because you can’t see
ice-cream
• spoon @LZ
it or weigh it. Instead, you can observe what
energy does. Energy is needed to move or heat
Do this … something, to make a noise, or to change an
1 Half-fill a glass with lemonade. object’s shape. Energy makes things happen.
2 Add a scoop of ice-cream. Work is the name given to the effects of using
3 Give it a stir. energy. Whenever an object is shifted or forced to
change shape, then work has been done.
Record this …
Describe what happened.
Explain why you think this happened.
lemonade

Using energy 171

 Forms of energy
Measuring energy
There are many different forms of energy, as shown in
Energy is measured using a unit called the
Figure 5.1.1.
joule (symbol J). You use one joule of energy
when you lift a 1 kg bag of potatoes 10 cm off • Kinetic energy is the energy of movement. Anything
the floor. Lifting 1 kg of potatoes isn’t too hard, that moves has kinetic energy. The faster an object
which shows that a joule is a small amount of moves, the more kinetic energy it has. In a collision,
energy. In fact, a joule is so small that energy kinetic energy is quickly changed into other forms.
is often measured in batches of 1000 joules.
• Heat energy can come from the Sun, flames,
A batch of 1000 joules is known as a kilojoule
chemical reactions, electrical devices or even from a
(kJ). If you lifted 1 kg of potatoes 10 cm with 1 J
person or animal. Heat warms, burns, dries, melts,
of energy, then you could lift them 100 metres
with 1 kJ of energy! and makes hot-air balloons rise.
• Light energy comes from the Sun, light globes, fires
Food energy is commonly measured in
and animals such as glow-worms. Without light
kilojoules (kJ). Even larger amounts of energy,
energy, the world would be a very dark place.
such as electrical energy, are measured in
megajoules (MJ). • Sound energy is the energy that air has when it is
vibrating. Your ears and brain interpret the vibrating
1 kJ = 1000 J
of air as sounds. Sound comes from your voice,
1 MJ = 1 000 000 J musical instruments, cars and power tools.
• Electrical energy comes from power stations,
solar cells, batteries, and sparks such as lightning.
Counting calories Electrical energy powers your TV, computer,
You may have heard of a unit of microwave and toaster.
SciFile

energy called the calorie. This 1

unit is used in some countries of p177
Here are five different and common
the world, particularly to measure Figure
food energy. One calorie (cal) is 5.1.1
forms of energy. All these forms of
the amount of energy needed to energy make things happen.
raise the temperature of 1 gram
of water by 1°C. This is about 4.2
joules.

WORKED EXAMPLE
Calculating energy
Problem 1
Calculate how many joules of energy are contained in:
kinetic
a 2 kJ
b 3.5 MJ
electrical
Solution
a 2 kJ = 2 × 1000 = 2000 J
b 3.5 MJ = 3.5 × 1 000 000 = 3 500 000 J

Problem 2 sound
Calculate how many megajoules of energy are
contained in:
a 4 800 000 J
b 5 700 000 000 J light
Solution
a 4 800 000 J = 4 800 000 ÷ 1 000 000 = 4.8 MJ
heat
b 5 700 000 000 J = 5 700 000 000 ÷ 1 000 000
= 5700 MJ

172 PEARSON science

 science fun
3
Creepy crawly Twist the pencil to wind up your creepy crawly.

What happens when you twist a rubber @LZ 4 Place it on a smooth surface and let it go!
band?

pencil
Collect this ... cotton reel
rubber band
• rubber band
washers
• cotton reel
• part of a toothpick or match smaller than the
diameter of the cotton reel toothpick
• masking tape
tape
• 2 metal washers
• a pencil or a piece of dowel longer than the
diameter of the cotton reel
Record this ...
Do this ...
Describe what happened.
1 Loop a rubber band around the toothpick and
through the cotton reel as shown. Tape the Explain why you think this happened.
toothpick to the cotton reel.
2 Insert the rubber band through the metal washers
and loop the end around the pencil.

Stored energy
Not all forms of energy are as obvious as those discussed
so far. Many of the objects around you have stored
energy or potential energy. Petrol in a car’s fuel tank
and books on a shelf both have potential energy. They
are not using energy at the moment but have stored
energy. Stored energy gives objects the potential to make
things happen: the books can fall off the shelf and the
petrol can burn.
One form of potential energy is the chemical energy
your body gains from eating food. This energy enables
you to run, play sport, heat your body and keep your
heart beating. The foods that you eat originally obtained
energy from the Sun. Plants capture light from the
Sun and convert it into chemical energy in the form
of simple sugars. This happens in a process called
photosynthesis. Plants such as wheat make sugars and
then convert them into starch for storage. When you eat The nutritional information listed on this
the plants, their seeds, nuts or grains (or eat animals that Figure
cereal box states that a serving contains
5.1.2
have eaten them), your body uses the chemical energy 459 kJ of energy. For a healthy lifestyle, the
from these simple sugars and starch as your energy energy you put into your body from food
source. Figure 5.1.2 shows the energy content available should be about the same as the energy you
from one type of breakfast cereal. require for your body to function.

Using energy 173

 Figure 5.1.3 shows four different types of potential
energy: The blade runner
Oscar Pistorius is a sprinter from South
• Gravitational potential energy is energy stored in an Africa who is missing the lower part of
object when it is above the ground. The greater the both his legs. Some people argued that
height, the more gravitational potential energy an his prosthetic
object has. For example, the higher a water slide, the running blades
could give him an
more gravitational potential energy you have at the
unfair advantage
top and the more kinetic energy you will have on the over able-bodied
way down! athletes. Pistorius
• Chemical energy is energy stored in substances. This was able to enter
the qualifying

SciFile
energy is released by your body when you digest food,
races for the 2008
and by cars when fuel is burnt. Wood, paper, apples, Beijing Olympics
petrol and batteries all contain chemical energy. after a court
• Elastic potential energy is energy stored in a decided that
there was not
stretched or squashed spring. Stretched rubber bands enough evidence
also store elastic potential energy, which is released to prove that his
when they are let go. blades gave him
• Nuclear energy is energy stored inside the small any advantage.
particles that make up all matter. Nuclear energy is
released in a nuclear power plant, in a nuclear bomb Figure
A prosthetic running blade
explosion, and inside the Sun. Nuclear reactions 5.1.4
stores elastic potential energy
produce heat and light. as it flexes. This energy is then
released as the athlete runs.
2 5.1
p178

chemical
energy
nuclear
energy

gravitational
potential energy

Figure Objects that have any of these forms of stored potential energy may
5.1.3 elastic potential energy
release the energy in different forms at a later time. When stored energy
is released, things happen.

174 PEARSON science

 5.1 Unit review

Remembering 11 Your body needs a source of energy. Use Figure 5.1.5

to list four different ways that the chemical energy
1 Name the unit used to measure energy. in food can be used by your body.
2 List five different forms of energy.
3 Recall what you know about energy by matching the chemical potential energy
following types with their descriptions. (growth and new molecules
and energy storage in cells
a kinetic energy and tissue)
b sound energy chemical
potential energy
c elastic potential energy (food)
d gravitational potential energy
e light energy
sound (kinetic energy)
i in vibrating air particles talking/singing
ii in a stretched or squashed spring
iii in objects positioned above the ground YOU
iv released from glow-worms
v in a moving object

movement
heat energy
Understanding (kinetic energy)

4 Explain why the energy in food is usually stated in

kilojoules rather than joules. Figure
5.1.5
5 Explain why sound energy could be considered a
type of kinetic energy.
6 Petrol, kerosene and oil are all types of fuel. Clarify 12 Identify the key type of energy possessed by a:
which type of energy these fuels possess. a seatbelt buckle that has been in the sun all day
7 Describe situations in which kinetic energy could b shopping trolley rolling across the floor
cause damage. c marshmallow
d golf ball hit along the ground
Applying e lawnmower filled up with petrol
f bird resting in its nest on a tree branch.
8 Calculate how many joules of energy are in:
a 3 MJ 13 a Ben burns about 30 kJ per minute while he’s
dancing. Calculate the number of kilojoules he
b 7500 kJ
would use if he danced for an hour.
9 Calculate how many megajoules would be in these b Calculate how many servings of the breakfast
quantities: cereal in Figure 5.1.2 on page 173 Ben would
a 2 500 000 J need to supply this energy.
b 5000 kJ c When Ben dances, he moves his arms and legs,
he sings and he gets hot. List three types of
10 Identify the types of energy that caused the energy that are present when Ben dances.
changes in the:
a ‘Making spiders’ activity on page 171
b ‘Creepy crawly’ activity on page 173.

Using energy 175

 5.1 Unit review

Analysing Inquiring
14 The following objects have potential energy.
Classify each one as an example of gravitational 1 a Research the approximate number of joules of
potential energy, chemical potential energy or energy contained in a:
elastic potential energy. i litre of full-cream milk
a A piece of chocolate cake ii litre of petrol
b A stretched spring iii litre of oil
c A glass of cola iv kilogram of coal
d An empty coffee mug on a table v kilogram of wood.
e A teaspoon of sugar b Construct a column graph to show the energy
f A cardboard box content of these substances.
g A 9-volt battery 2 Investigate the energy content of a range of fast
h A painter at the top of a ladder foods. Link a typical meal from one fast food
i A banana restaurant with activities required to use up an
j A squashed tennis ball equivalent amount of energy.
3 Research Oscar Pistorius on the internet. Outline his
Evaluating life story.

15 Aisha lifts a 10 kg bag of onions 10 cm off the 4 Some animals can produce their own light. This
ground. Propose a different task in which she would process is called bioluminescence. Research five
do the same amount of work. animals that can produce their own light.

16 For each pair of objects shown in Figure 5.1.6:

i identify which (A or B) has more energy
ii justify your response.

a 60°C 20°C

glass A glass B

ball A ball B

car A a
car at 100
0 km
k
km/h
m/h car B at 50 km/h
km/h
k

Figure
5.1.6

176 PEARSON science

 5.1 Practical activities

1 Making a spinning snake

Purpose 3 Make a small hole in the tip of your spiral and tie a
To observe how heat can cause a change. piece of string from the tip to a clamp as shown in
Figure 5.1.8.
Materials
• square of string
aluminium foil
• 15 cm length SAFETY
of string Be careful not to touch retort stand
• retort stand and the spiral just after it has
clamp been heated.
• Bunsen burner
and bench mat
• matches Bunsen burner
bench mat
Procedure
1 If your aluminium foil is thin, then fold over a piece
to double its thickness.
2 Cut a spiral shape from your piece of foil about Figure
8 cm in diameter, as shown in Figure 5.1.7. 5.1.8

4 Position a Bunsen burner underneath the spiral.

Make sure that the flame will not touch the spiral.
5 Light the Bunsen burner and adjust it to produce
the blue flame.
6 Observe the spiral.

Results
List changes that happened to your foil spiral.

Discussion
1 Identify which source of energy caused these
changes to occur.
2 Propose how you think this energy might have
caused the change you observed.
Figure 3 Propose why the spiral was made from aluminium
5.1.7 foil instead of paper.
4 The circulating air that caused this change is called
a convection current. Propose situations in which
convection currents might occur.

Using energy 177

 5.1 Practical activities

2 Energy makes things happen

Purpose Results
To observe how different types of energy can cause a Copy the following table into your workbook.
change.
Situation Type of energy Changes you
Materials that caused the observed
• sparkler change

• soil in a beaker SAFETY A sparkler

burns.
• matches Do not touch
the sparkler while it is A torch is
• torch turned on.
burning. Allow it to cool
• tennis ball before cleaning up. A tennis ball
• slinky spring Do not operate the hair falls.
• damp piece of cloth dryer near water. A slinky spring
is compressed
• peg
and released.
• coat hanger
Warm air is
• hair dryer blown over a
damp cloth.
Procedure
1 Copy the table shown in the results section into Discussion
your workbook. As you complete each task, record 1 a The sparkler, the torch, the tennis ball and the
your observations in the table. slinky spring all had potential energy before you
2 Stand a sparkler in a beaker of soil. Light the completed each activity. Identify which type of
sparkler and observe until it goes out. potential energy each object possessed.
b Explain whether each of these four objects still
3 Turn on a torch and see what happens. Switch the
had potential energy once the experiment was
torch off. completed.
4 Drop a tennis ball off the edge of a bench and 2 The warm air blown from the hair dryer produced a
observe how it moves. change in the damp cloth. Identify three examples
5 Compress a slinky spring on a bench and then let it in which heat is used to produce a similar change.
go. Describe what happens.
6 Peg a damp piece of cloth to a coat hanger. Blow
warm air from a hair dryer over the cloth.

178 PEARSON science

 Energy changes
5.2
Sometimes energy is passed
from one object to another. If
you hit a tennis ball with a
racquet, then some of the
kinetic energy of the racquet
is transferred to the ball. At
other times, one form of
energy changes into other
forms of energy. For
example, a television is
powered by electrical energy,
which is changed into light,
sound and heat energy. A car
travelling down the freeway
uses the chemical energy in
petrol to give it the kinetic
energy to keep moving.

science Energy transfer

fun Energy can be passed from one object to another.
This is known as energy transfer. If you stand in
front of a heater, then heat energy is transferred
Energy transfer from the heater to you, warming you
How is energy passed on from @LZ up. As Figure 5.2.1 shows, when you
one object to another? kick a ball, kinetic energy from your
foot is transferred to the ball,
Collect this … causing the ball to move.
• dominoes

Do this …
1 Carefully stand each domino vertically with
only a centimetre or so between each one.
2 Give the first domino a gentle push.

Record this … Figure When a ball is

Describe what happened to the other dominoes. 5.2.1 kicked, kinetic
Explain why you think this happened. energy is transferred
from the person’s
foot to the ball.

Using energy 179

 Energy transformation
science fun Energy can be transferred from one object to another.
Energy can also be changed, or transformed, from one
type of energy into another type of energy. Whenever you
watch TV, listen to music or play on a games console, you
Heat transfer are relying on energy transformation. Computers, TVs
How is heat energy transferred? 5V and MP3 players convert electrical energy into sound,
light and heat energy. Figure 5.2.2 shows some energy
transformations using an energy flow diagram.
dobs of wax metal rods

Bunsen
burner tripod
electrical
heat energy
bench mat energy

Collect this …
• three rods of different metals (e.g. iron, copper
and steel)
• Bunsen burner, tripod and bench mat
• candle
• timer electrical energy
chemical
• matches sound energy
energy
heat energy
Do this …
1 Place a tripod on a bench mat.
2 Lie the three metal rods on top of the tripod
as shown.
2 Place the Bunsen burner just below the ends
of the rods.
3 Light the candle and drip dobs of wax onto elastic kinetic energy
each rod as shown. potential sound energy
energy heat energy
4 Heat the ends of the rods using the blue flame
of the Bunsen burner. Time how long each
dob of wax takes to melt.
Note: Do not touch the metal rods until they
have cooled down.
If a dob of wax has not melted after
10 minutes, turn off the Bunsen burner.
5 From your observations, identify the rod that chemical kinetic energy
was best at transferring heat. energy sound energy
heat energy

Record this …
Describe what happened.
Explain why you think this happened.

Figure Energy transformations are shown using an

5.2.2 arrow. Here are some energy transformations
1 that occur when using a toaster, an MP3
p187 player, a wind-up toy and a car.

180 PEARSON science

Sometimes a number of different energy changes A solar cell converts light energy into electrical energy.
happen all at once. Imagine that you accidentally This energy can then be converted into many different
knock a glass off a table. The glass falls and smashes types of energy. Figure 5.2.4 shows an energy flow diagram
on the floor below. The glass initially has gravitational for the energy changes involved in using a solar fan.
potential energy. When it is falling, this energy is
changed into kinetic energy and some heat energy.
The law of conservation of energy
When it hits the floor, some of the kinetic energy is
transferred to the pieces of glass that break and fly off Sometimes it looks as though energy disappears. For
in all directions. Some kinetic energy is converted into example, when you kick a ball, the kinetic energy
sound and heat energy. Figure 5.2.3 describes these you give the ball seems to be lost when the ball
changes in a flow diagram. stops moving. Actually, this kinetic energy has been
converted into other forms of energy, such as heat and
sound energy.
The law of conservation of energy states that energy
can never be created or destroyed. It can only be
converted from one form to another.
This means that:
• energy might be passed on or wasted, but it is
never lost
• if one object wastes energy, then it is always gained
by another object, usually as heat.

Glass resting on Glass falls Glass breaks

table has 2 5.2 5.3
gravitational kinetic kinetic energy p188
potential energy + heat
energy + heat + sound

Figure There are many energy changes happening

5.2.3 when a glass falls off the table.

Sun Solar fan

Solar cell

kinetic energy +
light energy electrical energy
sound energy + heat energy

Figure A solar cell converts light energy from the Sun directly into electrical energy. This electrical energy is
5.2.4 converted into the kinetic energy of the blades, as well as sound and heat energy produced by the solar fan.

Using energy 181

 Beltless
Useful and wasted If you have ever looked at a car
engine while it is running, you have
energy probably noticed belts used to

SciFile
transfer energy.
Any object that moves, or has moving parts, has kinetic For example, a fan belt is used to
energy. A child pushing a toy car gives the car kinetic turn a fan that cools the engine.
energy. When the child stops pushing, the car keeps Some new cars now rely on electrical
systems to replace the use of belts.
moving along the ground. However, friction between its
A beltless engine reduces car
wheels and the ground produces heat energy. Eventually, maintenance, engine noise and heat
the car will stop moving because all of its kinetic energy loss due to friction. This improves
has been converted into heat energy. This heat energy is vehicle efficiency.
wasted energy. The energy has been transformed into a
form that is not useful.

science fun

Hot stuff!
Does friction produce heat? @LZ

Collect this …
• hose or needle attachment that fits the Most energy conversions waste some energy, usually
bike tyre or ball releasing it as heat and perhaps some sound. For
• bike tyre or inflatable ball example, you can feel unwanted heat coming from
• pump computers, TVs and light globes. This heat wastes some
of the electrical energy used to operate the appliance,
Do this … making it more expensive to run. Some examples of
1 Fit the hose to the bike tyre or the needle into
energy conversion and wasted energy are shown in
the ball.
Table 5.2.1.
2 Pump up the tyre or ball. Note: Do not over-
inflate balls or tyres or they could explode. Table 5.2.1 Examples of energy conversions
3 Undo the hose or needle attachment.
Example Initial Useful Wasted
4 Feel the end of the hose or needle. energy energy energy
produced
Record this … Using an Electrical Kinetic Heat and
Describe what happened. electric energy energy sound energy
toothbrush
Explain why you think this happened.
Playing Chemical Kinetic Heat and
cricket energy energy of sound energy
from food moving
digested cricket bat
and ball

Using Chemical Sound and Heat energy

Figure an MP3 energy from light energy
5.2.5 player batteries

The useful energy you Using Chemical Kinetic Heat energy

a torch energy from energy
want from a torch is light
(Figure batteries
energy. The heat released 5.2.5)
is wasted energy.

182 PEARSON science

Energy efficiency Renewable energy
Any device that converts energy, such as a car or a Some energy sources are renewable. This means that
computer, requires some form of energy to make it they are unlimited in supply and can be used over and
run. This is its input. Useful energy is its output. As we over again. Examples are solar energy, wind energy and
have seen, unwanted forms of energy are released too, hydroelectric energy. Most of the electrical energy that
usually as heat. Energy efficiency is a measure of how supplies Australian households comes from burning fossil
much input energy is converted into useful output fuels, such as coal, oil or natural gas. These fossil fuels
energy. The greater proportion of useful output energy, were formed over millions of years and are known as non-
the greater the energy efficiency of the device. If most renewable energy sources. Fossil fuels contain chemical
of the input energy is converted into useful output, potential energy, which is released when the fuel is burnt.
then the device is energy efficient. If a lot of the input Figure 5.2.7 on page 184 shows that only a small fraction
energy is wasted, then the device is inefficient. of the original chemical potential energy of a fossil fuel is
In an electric fan, electrical energy is converted into converted into the useful energy needed to operate devices
the kinetic energy of the fan blades, which produces in our homes. This happens because heat energy is lost at
a breeze. If all of the electrical energy was converted each step of generating and delivering the electricity.
into kinetic energy, then the fan would be extremely
energy efficient. In reality, an electric fan wastes some
of its electrical energy by converting it into sound and
heat. This makes it inefficient. Figure 5.2.6 shows one 75%
inefficient and one efficient energy conversion.

25% 100%
Idle energy
Long-distance truck drivers
often keep their truck’s engine
running during their rest breaks.
This keeps the truck’s heating,
cooling and other features
working, but wastes billions of
SciFile

litres of fuel worldwide each

year. Auxiliary power units
(APUs) reduce these energy
losses. These portable, truck-
5%
mounted units provide power
and climate control without the
need to keep the engine running.

95% 100%

Figure Only about one-quarter of the chemical energy

5.2.6 supplied to a car goes into making it move. In
other words, for every 100 J of chemical energy
supplied, only 25 J of kinetic energy is produced.
In contrast, when riding a bike, up to 95kJ out of
every 100kJ of energy that your muscles supply
is converted into the kinetic energy of the bike.

Using energy 183

 heat energy
heat energy heat energy

Chemical energy in Heat energy causes Kinetic energy of steam Electrical energy leaves
1 fuel (coal) and oxygen
2 3 drives generator.
4 power station.
water to boil and
is released by burning. steam to expand.
This produces heat energy.

heat energy heat energy heat energy heat energy

Computer converts electrical Transformer reduces Energy is transmitted along Transformer increases
8 energy into light, sound, 7 voltage. 6 high-voltage lines. 5 voltage.
data storage and retrieval.

There are many steps needed to convert the WORKED EXAMPLE

Figure
chemical energy of coal into electrical energy for Energy efficiency
5.2.7
households. Heat energy is produced at each
stage of this process. These losses of heat Problem
energy reduce the efficiency of the process. In 5 minutes, a particular battery-operated remote-
controlled car used 1800 J of chemical energy. Of this
Table 5.2.2 compares the typical percentage energy chemical energy, it converted:
efficiencies of some energy converters. • 450 J into kinetic energy
• 300 J into sound energy
Table 5.2.2 Energy efficiencies of some energy converters • 1050 J into heat energy.
Energy converter Efficiency (%) Given that the useful energy output of this device is
kinetic energy, calculate the percentage energy efficiency
Incandescent light globe 5 of the car.

Electric motor 80 Solution

The useful energy output is the 450 J of kinetic energy
Steam engine 40 and the total energy input is the 1800 J of chemical
energy supplied by the battery.
Power station 30
useful energy output
energy efficiency = × 100
Human 25 energy input
450
= × 100
1800
5.4 3
p189 = 25%

This means that 25% of the energy input is converted into

a useful form of energy output, so the car is 25% efficient.

184 PEARSON science

5.2 Unit review

Remembering Applying
1 Recall two examples of energy transfer. 60–80% energy lost to
the environment as heat
2 Name the type of energy that is produced by a
solar cell.
3 Refer to Table 5.2.1 on page 182 and list the wasted
fuel storage engine
forms of energy that occur when you: tank
a listen to an MP3 player useful
b play cricket. work
through
4 Refer to the law of conservation of energy and state drive
whether the following statements are true or false. shaft
a If energy is wasted, then it is lost altogether.
Efficiency: petrol engine 25%
b If energy is lost from one object, then it will be
diesel engine 35%
gained by another. jet turbine 30%
c The total amount of energy in the universe is steam engine 40%
always changing. Figure
5.2.8
5 Name the type of energy possessed by fossil fuels.
12 a Use the information in Figure 5.2.8 to rank the
Understanding different engines from most to least efficient.
6 a Use an example to explain what is meant by the b If 100 MJ of energy is supplied to a jet turbine,
term energy transformation. calculate the amount of energy that is converted
into useful energy required to fly the jet.
b Describe the energy transformation(s) that take
place when you cook rice in a microwave oven. c Calculate the percentage of energy that is
wasted in a typical petrol engine.
7 a State the law of conservation of energy.
13 You ride a skateboard down the street.
b Explain what this law means, using an example.
a Identify the source of energy input for this activity.
8 Explain why any object on Earth that moves will get b Identify the types of energy that are produced.
warmer than if it was not moving.
14 Use your knowledge of energy transformations to
9 Define the term energy efficiency. match the situations a–e below with the appropriate
10 Describe how heat losses reduce the efficiency of energy transformations i–v.
a device. a A girl toboggans down a slope.
b You ride a bike.
11 Outline why the process of converting the chemical
energy of coal into electrical energy is very c A wind-up toy car travels across the floor.
inefficient. d A boy swims in a pool.
e Wood burns in a fire.
i chemical energy → kinetic energy + sound
energy + heat energy
ii gravitational potential energy → kinetic energy
+ sound energy + heat energy
iii chemical energy → heat energy + light energy +
sound energy
iv elastic potential energy → kinetic energy +
sound energy
v chemical energy → kinetic energy + sound
energy + heat energy

Using energy 185

 5.2 Unit review

Analysing 20 Use Figure 5.2.9 to construct a flow diagram to show

the energy changes that occur when you vacuum the
15 In 10 minutes, a power saw used 6050 J of electrical floor using electricity from a wind generator.
energy. It converted:
• 1210 J into kinetic energy
• 1520 J into sound energy
Inquiring
• 3320 J into heat energy.
1 Materials differ in how well they transfer heat. If heat
a Identify useful output energy from the saw.
travels easily through a material it is called a good
b Calculate percentage energy efficiency of the saw. conductor of heat. If heat is not easily conducted
16 An iPod dock is supplied with 2000 J of electrical through a material, it is called an insulator. Research
energy. Of this, 900 J is converted into heat energy, which materials are good conductors of heat and
300 J is converted into kinetic energy of the sound which materials are insulators.
system and the remaining energy is converted into a List three conductors and three insulators.
sound. Calculate the: b Discuss ways that materials can be used based
a number of joules of sound energy produced on how well they transfer heat.
b percentage efficiency of the device for 2 A scramjet is a new type of jet engine that is
converting electrical energy into sound energy. designed to operate at very high speeds. It has no
17 A car is a very inefficient machine. moving parts, which is necessary to avoid losing
a List which forms of wasted energy are produced. energy due to friction at high speeds. Research the
b Cars would soon overheat if they didn’t have scramjet and outline four facts about it.
a radiator. Analyse what the purpose of a 3 a Using materials such as rubber bands
radiator is. or hat elastic, craft sticks or pieces of
18 An apple that falls from the top of an apple tree hits dowel, construct a model bungee.
the ground at a greater speed than an apple that Securely fix a weighted bungee-jumper
falls from near the base of the tree. Analyse why this to your bungee and examine changes in speed
happens. and motion as the bungee operates.
b Construct a flow diagram to describe the energy
transformations that occur during a bungee jump.
Creating c Propose reason why the bungee will
19 Construct a flow diagram to show the energy eventually come to a stop.
changes that happen when you: 4 Does a ball bounce higher if it is warmer?
a ring a doorbell Investigate, using a ball and a hair dryer.
b light a match
c fall over.

sound
energy
sound

kinetic

heat
Figure
electrical energy
5.2.9 in your home light
energy in wind
(kinetic energy)

186 PEARSON science

 5.2 Practical activities

1 Investigating heat
Heat can be transferred in a number of different ways. 3 Place a temperature probe or thermometer into
If two substances are in contact, then the heat of one each cup or mug.
substance can be transferred to the second substance 4 Record the starting temperature using the data
through a process called conduction. Some materials logger or thermometer and take measurements for
are better conductors than others. 10 minutes.

Purpose Results
To compare how effectively different substances Construct a line graph showing the temperature of the
conduct heat. water in the cup and mugs over the 10 minutes.

Materials Discussion
• supply of hot water 1 To be a fair scientific test, the three containers used
in this experiment should be the same thickness
• polystyrene cup
• metallic mug
SAFETY and have the same diameter opening at the top.
Explain why these factors are important.
Handle hot
• ceramic coffee mug liquids with care. 2 Based on your results, identify the material that was
• thermometer or the:
temperature probe a best conductor of heat
and data logger b worst conductor of heat.
Procedure 3 A pool blanket is used to trap heat within a
1 Copy the results table below into your workbook. swimming pool. Propose whether the blanket
should be made from material that is a good or a
2 Carefully pour 100 mL of hot water into each cup or poor conductor of heat.
mug. Make sure that the water poured into each is
at the same temperature.

Time Temperature of water in

(minutes)
Polystyrene cup (°C) Metallic mug (°C) Ceramic coffee mug (°C)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Using energy 187

 5.2 Practical activities

2 Energy changes
Purpose Part B
To observe and identify different energy changes. 2 Place the strands of steel wool on a bench mat. Use
alligator clips to connect these to a battery and a
Materials switch as shown in Figure 5.2.11. Close the switch
Part A for a few seconds and watch the steel wool.
• alligator clips SAFETY steel wool
• light globe Wear safety
• 6 V battery glasses for
these tasks.
Part B
In part B, do not leave the
• steel wool
switch closed as the steel
• bench mat wool could catch fire.
• alligator clips In part E, do not flick
• 6 V battery and switch polystyrene balls near 6V

Part C
people. switch

• tuning fork battery

Figure
• rubber stopper • beaker of water 5.2.11
Part D
• 200 g mass • modelling clay Part C

Part E 3 Strike a tuning fork on a rubber stopper. Put the

• rubber band • polystyrene ball ends of the tuning fork into a beaker of water.
Part D
Procedure
Copy the results table into your workbook. As you 4 Drop the 200 g mass onto a lump of modelling clay
complete each task, fill in your observations in this table. from a height of about 30 cm.
Part E
Part A
5 Place the polystyrene ball on the bench. See if
1 Use two alligator clips to connect a light globe to a you can make the ball roll along the bench using
battery or power pack as shown in Figure 5.2.10. a stretched rubber band. Figure 5.2.12 shows the
method.

Hold rubber band with one hand.

Pull polystyrene ball back,

then release.

Figure Figure
5.2.10 5.2.12

188 PEARSON science

 Results Discussion
1 Copy the table below into your workbook. Use it to 1 Discuss whether there were any situations in which
record your observations. energy was transferred but not transformed into a
different form.
2 Next to the observations recorded in your results,
list the source of energy in each case, and any forms 2 Name two devices that you have used today. State
of energy produced. the energy changes that occurred in these devices.

Prac Situation Observations Energy supplied Energy produced

Part A Connecting a light globe to a battery

Part B Connecting steel wool to a battery

Part C Striking a tuning fork and dipping its ends

into water

Part D Dropping a 200 g mass onto a lump of

modelling clay

Part E Propelling a polystyrene ball using a

rubber band

3 Investigating the efficiency of bouncing balls

Purpose Design an experiment to calculate the percentage
To calculate and compare the efficiency of efficiency of the first bounce of a range of different
bouncing balls. types of balls. Use apparatus such as a video camera
and metre ruler to assist you in measuring the rebound
Materials height.
• different types of balls
• equipment to measure the height of a bounce
Results
(such as a video camera or metre ruler) 1 Compare the efficiency of the different balls in your
sample.
Procedure
When a ball is dropped from a height, its gravitational 2 Summarise your aim, materials, procedure, results
potential energy is converted to kinetic energy and and discussion in a report.
heat. As the ball rebounds from the floor, some of its Discussion
kinetic energy is converted back into gravitational
1 Propose ways to improve your experiment design.
potential energy. This process continues until all of the
initial gravitational potential energy has been converted 2 Propose reasons why the balls varied in efficiency.
into other forms of energy. The efficiency of the first
bounce of the ball can be calculated as:
rebound height of first bounce
Efficiency = × 100%
initial height above ground

Using energy 189

 Energy-efficient design
5.3

This hybrid vehicle

operates using a petrol
engine in combination
with an electric motor.
The car automatically
selects the most
efficient energy source
to suit the type of
driving. Vehicles like
this offer greater fuel
economy than cars
with traditional petrol-
only engines.

Reducing energy • assist the spread of diseases, especially mosquito-borne

diseases such as dengue fever and Ross River virus
consumption • alter the populations of different species of plants and
animals, especially those that live above the snowline
Around the world, the demand for energy has never
in the southern states.
been greater than it is today. Most of the energy that we
Reducing the amount of energy we use reduces the
rely on to power our cars, heat and cool our homes and
amount of greenhouse gases put into the atmosphere.
run electronic devices is produced from non-renewable
We can reduce energy consumption in many ways,
sources such as coal, natural gas and oil. These non-
such as by switching off lights, computers and
renewable energy sources are limited in supply and
televisions when they are not in use. Walking, cycling
burning them adds greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.
or using public transport instead of relying on the
More and more people are realising that these
family car will reduce your household’s energy
greenhouse gases increase the risk of globing warming
consumption. Replacing highly inefficient
and that may cause climate change. 5.5
incandescent globes with more efficient
In Australia, climate change is likely to: compact fluorescent globes has already
• cause more frequent and intense droughts, storms cut the energy bills of most households.
and floods Table 5.3.1 compares the efficiencies of 5.6
incandescent and fluoroescent globes.

190 PEARSON science

Table 5.3.1 Comparison of incandescent and compact
fluorescent globes

Power Approximate balloons Purchase Expected Approximate

of greenhouse gas price operating cost per year
produced over its hours
lifespan
75 watt $1.00–1.20 1000–2000 $12.30
incandescent

3600 Comparing
15 watt $4.00–
labels
Around $2.30
(75 watt 10.00 8000 hours The energy rating label
equivalent) (cheaper was first used in New
730
fluorescent if buying South Wales and

SciFile
a pack Victoria in 1986. Today,
of 2 or 3) any household
refrigerator, freezer,
television, washing
machine, clothes
dryer, single-phase
air conditioner or
dishwasher sold in
See the light! Australia must carry an
approved energy rating
Old-fashioned incandescent
SciFile

label. It’s the law!

light globes converted most of
their electricity into heat. The
compact fluorescent globes
available today use about 80%
less electricity to produce the
equivalent amount of light.

Energy rating labels

Household appliances vary in their energy efficiency.
By purchasing appliances that are more efficient, your
household will save energy and save on running costs.
If you look around shops selling electrical appliances
you will see that most large appliances carry
a red and yellow energy rating label. A
1
sample label is shown in Figure 5.3.1. p198

Energy efficiency is shown by the number

of stars on the label. The more stars (usually from 1
to 6) that are shaded on the energy rating label, the
greater the energy efficiency of the appliance. You can
determine which models are the most energy efficient Figure Appliances are tested under Australian
by comparing the number of stars. The number found 5.3.1 standards to produce an energy rating label.
on the label provides the customer with an estimate of Greater energy efficiency is indicated by more
the amount of energy (usually listed in kilowatt hours stars (or half stars) out of a possible six stars.
per year) needed to operate the appliance for one year.
The higher the number, the more energy is needed and
the more the appliance will cost to run.

Using energy 191

 How much energy
is that?

SciFile
Energy rating labels display the
typical amount of energy an
appliance will use over one

science fun year. This value is stated in

kilowatt hours. One kilowatt
hour is equal to 3 600 000 joules
of energy. This can also be
written as 3.6 megajoules (MJ).
Shading a house
How much difference does shade make @LZ
to the temperature inside a house? Efficient housing
Living in an energy-efficient house makes it easier for
Collect this …
households to reduce their energy consumption. It is
• 2 identical shoeboxes
estimated that about half of the energy costs of running a
• incandescent desk lamp (sunlight will do on a
house are to keep it warm in winter and cool in summer.
warm day)
Heat naturally flows from regions of higher temperature
• pot plant or branch with leaves propped up in a
to regions of lower temperature. In winter, the warm
pot with dirt
air from a heater or heating system can flow through
• 2 thermometers or temperature probes
any cracks or gaps in the walls to the cool air outside
Do this … or into the cooler garage. Alternatively, heat can rise up
into the roof space. This means that a lot of energy is
needed to keep a leaky house warm in winter. Similarly,
‘Sun’ (an equal in summer, the warm air outside will naturally flow into
distance from
both houses) a cool house. To keep the house cool, air-conditioners
House 1 might be used. However, they use a lot of energy, making
them expensive to run. Adding insulation to ceilings and
between the walls of a home reduces the heat flowing
outside in winter and inside in summer. This
makes heating and cooling more effective and 5.7
makes a house more comfortable.
‘tree’
House 2

most of house shaded

1 Position the two shoebox ‘houses’ an equal

distance from the desk lamp (or outside in a
sunny position).
2 Place the pot plant or branch close to one
‘house’ so that it is shaded as much as
possible.
3 Measure the temperature inside each ‘house’
every 5 minutes for an hour.

Record this …
Describe what happened.
Explain why you think this happened.

Figure This zero emissions house has been constructed

5.3.2 in a Victorian housing estate. Over the course
of a year, solar panels on the roof generate as
much energy as the house will use.

192 PEARSON science

 The National House Energy Rating Scheme uses Building regulations throughout Australia require
computer simulations to provide a star rating for the new homes to be built to specific minimum energy
built exterior shell of a house. A rating of zero stars standards. Figure 5.3.3 shows design features that
means that the house is poorly designed and does make a house more energy efficient.
little to protect its occupants from heat in summer and
cold in winter. A house rated at 10 stars probably won’t Innovative design
need any heating or cooling because it remains at a
The need to save energy has led to new and innovative
comfortable temperature all year round.
designs to increase efficiency. Some of these ideas
Improvements in house design can be achieved by: include regenerative braking, interior cooling in parked
• considering the orientation of windows—in Australia cars, magnetic refrigeration, LED lighting, organic
this usually means placing large windows along the photovoltaics and dry washing mashines.
northern and eastern sides of the house, with small The regenerative braking system of a hybrid car
or no windows on the hot western side and the cooler captures some of the vehicle’s kinetic energy as the car
southern side slows down. Stored in a battery, this energy is then used
• considering the orientation of the house on the block to power the car’s electric motor when needed. Elevator
of land—in Australia, this usually means having living (lift) manufacturers are investigating how to use this idea
areas facing north and other rooms (such as the to save the energy used by lifts.
bathroom) facing south
Some luxury cars now incorporate solar cells on the roof
• tinting or shading west-facing windows
of the car. These cells power interior fans that prevent
• including coverings such as eaves, verandas or the inside of the car from getting too hot when the car is
pergolas over the north- and west-facing windows parked. This reduces the need for air conditioning when
• insulating the floor, walls and roof to reduce energy the car is being driven.
losses.

north-facing aspect,
compact 6-star reverse-cycle
maximising shading
fluorescent air-conditioning system
in summer and heat
globes
gas-boosted solar from sun in winter
hot water system
eaves over windows for
shading
rainwater tank
connected to
toilet and garden
irrigation system light-coloured roof

well-ventilated
refrigerator space
3A-rated toilet floor insulation
native vegetation

3A-rated gas cooktop

showerhead and oven

high-quality pool blanket

Figure The design features of this home allow its occupants 2

5.3.3 to be comfortable while reducing energy consumption. p199
They also include water-saving features.

Using energy 193

 Magnetic refrigeration is a new way of providing machine only uses a small amount of water, much less
cooling using a magnetic field. Once fully developed, energy is required to pump water in or out than in a
this technology could reduce the energy used by normal washing machine. Energy is also saved because
refrigerators and air conditioners. the water does not need to be heated. Finally, because
the clothes that come out are already dry, people who
LED (light-emitting diodes) are very bright but use very
rely on clothes dryers will not need to use them!
little energy. Current LEDs produce a cool bluish light,
but manufacturers are working on producing LEDs with
a warmer colouring so they can be more widely used.
Figure 5.3.4 shows the spectacular use of coloured LEDs
to light buildings.

Organic photovoltaics are a new generation of flexible

and cheap solar cells that are made from carbon-based
materials. Researchers are currently trying to increase
the efficiency of these solar cells from their current 5%
to 15–20% efficiency of a traditional photovoltaic cell.
If their efficiency can be improved, these cells have huge
potential for widespread use. An organic photovoltaic
cell is shown in Figure 5.3.5.

Dry washing machines are currently being developed.

These machines clean clothes using thousands of dirt-
absorbing nylon beads and use 90% less water than
a conventional washing machine. As the dry washing

Figure Lightweight, flexible and cheap organic solar

Over 20 000 LEDs were installed on Council 5.3.5 cells could be attached to bus stops, buildings
Figure
5.3.4 House in the city of Perth. This energy-efficient and even clothing to generate electricity.
lighting display is controlled by computer.

194 PEARSON science

 Nature and development of science
Figure Otto Lilienthal died in 1896 after The development of aircraft
5.3.6 losing control of a glider like this
one in a strong wind.

Humans have wanted to fly for thousands of years. Some of the important
developments that have led to modern aircraft are outlined below.

400 BCE 1903

Kites were flown in China. American brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright
researched the work of earlier aviation pioneers and
tested theories of air flow using kites and balloons.
1480 CE The Wright brothers tested different shapes of
aircraft wings in a wind tunnel to assist them in
Leonardo da Vinci drew diagrams of a machine with designing their gliders. They later added a gas-
wings—an ‘ornithopter’—that he thought could help powered engine. In 1903, in North Carolina, USA,
people fly. Orville Wright flew 36.5 metres in the Flyer—the
first powered, heavier-than-air controlled flight (see
Figure 5.3.7). By 1905 they had achieved a flight of
1799 39.4 kilometres.

British scientist Sir George Cayley (1773–1857)

discovered many of the principles of flight. He did
this by experimenting with the shape of the wings
on a glider that would allow smooth air flow. In 1799
he designed a fixed-wing flying machine with airfoil-
shaped wings for lift (the same shape as modern
wings), a moveable tail for control and ‘flappers’ to
provide thrust.

1891–1896
German engineer Otto Lilienthal (1848–1896) made
over 2500 flights in monoplane and biplane gliders
he designed. His gliders, such as the one shown in
Figure Orville Wright lying on the lower wing of
Figure 5.3.7, were the first to travel a long distance. 5.3.7 the Flyer

continues on page 196

Using energy 195

 continued from page 195

early 1900s 1937

The first few decades of the 1900s were times of British pilot Frank Whittle designed the first turbo
great development in aviation. To build faster and jet engine, which was used to power an aircraft in
more efficient aircraft, the bodies of the aircraft 1941. The jet engine shown in Figure 5.3.9 enabled
needed to be enclosed to reduce the drag on aircraft to travel at high speeds.
them when in flight. Aircraft were then made from
stronger (but not heavier) materials like aluminium. fuel enters
Figure 5.3.8 shows US aviator Charles Lindbergh,
Hot
who made the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean exhaust
in 1927, from New York to Paris. Australian aviator gases Air sucked in.
pushed
Charles Kingsford Smith made the first flight out.
across the Pacific Ocean between the USA and
Australia in 1928. direction of flight

A jet engine uses a spinning fan to draw in

Figure
outside air, which is compressed by a second
5.3.9
fan. Fuel is mixed with this compressed air,
which burns, expelling hot exhaust gases at
high speed. The force produced by releasing
the exhaust gases propels the aircraft forward.

Now
The engines of passenger jets such as the A380
airbus shown in Figure 5.3.10 have become more
efficient and the materials used to construct the
aircraft are lighter.
Charles Lindbergh (1902–1974) flew his
Figure aircraft Spirit of St Louis from New York to Improvements in aircraft design are ongoing. Figure
5.3.8 5.3.11 shows the design of a solar plane called
Paris in the first solo flight across the
Atlantic Ocean. Solar Impulse that successfully completed a
26-hour flight in 2010. Its 61-metre wingspan holds
the 12 000 solar cells that power its flight. The
1950s aircraft carried only one passenger—the pilot. The
Aviation boomed following World War 2. Most flight is encouraging for future development of solar
aircraft were built with piston engines and propellers technology.
to provide thrust for flight.
On-board computing system
Passenger jets such as the Boeing 707 were helps minimise energy consumption.
plane made of
manufactured from the 1950s. carbon fibre
solar panels

cockpit/pilot

Wingspan: 61 m Gondolas (x4) contain

Weight: 1500 kg motor and batteries
Max altitude: 8500 m for storing power.
Speed: 70 km/h

Figure The use of composite materials such as Solar Impulse is made from
5.3.10 Figure
carbon–fibre reinforced plastic in the structure lightweight carbon fibre and
5.3.11 5.8
of this modern aircraft increases fuel utilises super-efficient solar cells,
efficiency and reduces greenhouse emissions. batteries and four engines to fly.

196 PEARSON science

5.3 Unit review

Remembering Evaluating
1 List four ways you can save energy. 14 The energy rating label system was revised for use
2 List the types of appliances that must carry an in Australia in the year 2000. At that time, the most
energy rating label in Australia. energy-efficient appliances on the market only had a
rating of 3 or 4 out of a possible 6 stars. Propose why
3 Recall the direction of heat flow by selecting the the designers of the system set it up in this way.
correct words to complete the following statement.
15 Predict what a car would be like if it was 100%
Heat flows from regions of lower/higher temperature
efficient.
to regions of lower/higher temperature.
4 State the aviation record that the Wright brothers
achieved in 1903.
Creating
16 Construct a scale timeline outlining the important
Understanding years of aviation history as described on pages 195
and 196.
5 Explain why incandescent light globes have now
17 Design an advertisement for a new energy-efficient
almost completely been replaced by compact
appliance. Outline how your appliance will save
florescent globes.
energy and why people should buy it.
6 Explain what the star rating in Figure 5.3.1 on page
191 tells a consumer about the energy efficiency of
this appliance. Inquiring
7 Describe three ways in which the house shown in 1 Investigate how the shape of the wing of a paper
Figure 5.3.4 on page 193 reduces household energy plane affects how far the plane will travel. Using
consumption. sheets of A4 paper, test the effect of three
8 Explain how adding insulation to a house and different designs. Summarise your
sealing up gaps can reduce the energy costs of findings and include diagrams of the
heating and cooling the house. three designs you tested.
9 Explain how regenerative braking makes a car more 2 The typical energy consumption of new
energy efficient. refrigerators and freezers decreased by 40% in the
10 It is important for developers to improve the years 1993 to 2006.
efficiency of organic photovoltaics to ensure their a Find information about the energy labelling
use in the future. Explain why. system currently used in Australia.
b Using a suitable Australian website, compare the
11 Explain how a dry washing machine could save
energy use of three different brands of washing
energy compared to a regular washing machine.
machines, toasters and clothes dryers. Rank the
appliances from most to least energy efficient.
Applying 3 Research the work of Sir George Cayley or Otto
12 You touch a cool glass of soft drink on a warm day. Lilienthal and outline the contribution they made to
Identify whether heat flows from your hand into the aviation.
glass or from the glass into your hand.
4 In the World Solar Challenge, teams build and race
solar-powered vehicles some 3000 km from Darwin
Analysing to Adelaide. Research and write a newspaper report
or interview about the winning team from the most
13 Analyse why the bodies of aircraft needed to become
recent World Solar Challenge.
enclosed in order to improve their efficiency in the air.

Using energy 197

 5.3 Practical activities

1 Building a kettle
Purpose 5 Set the power pack to 4 volts and switch the power
To build a model kettle and study its energy supply on.
transformations. 6 Record the temperature of the water every minute
for 10 minutes in a table like the one below.
Materials
• 40 cm nichrome wire Results
• pencil SAFETY 1 Copy the results table into your workbook and
Do not touch the record the temperatures.
• 150 mL beaker
nichrome wire while it
• connecting wires is hot as it can give a Time (min) Temperature (°C)
• power supply nasty burn. Let it cool 0
• thermometer completely on a bench
1
(or data-logging mat before packing it
temperature probe) away. 2

• bench mat 3

Procedure 4

1 Make a heating element as shown in Figure 5.3.12 5

by winding the middle section of the nichrome wire 6
around a pencil. Leave 10 cm of straight wire at
each end as connecting leads. Remove the pencil. 7

9
DC
AC 10
VOLTS
2 Construct a line graph showing the temperature of
the water in the beaker over the 10 minutes.

power pack
Discussion
1 Use your graph to predict how long it would take
water for the water to boil.
2 State the energy source for your kettle.
coil of nichrome wire
3 Name the form of energy it was converted into.
Figure 4 Identify three household appliances that rely on the
5.3.12
same energy transformation as this kettle.
5 If this kettle was graded for an energy rating label, it
2 Add about 70 mL of water to the beaker.
would probably have a rating of zero or 1 star.
3 Place the heating element in the beaker, making a Explain why the kettle would not have a high
sure it is completely covered by water. star rating.
4 Connect the element to the power supply using the b Propose two ways of changing its design to
connecting wires. make it more energy efficient.

198 PEARSON science

2 Effect of double-glazing on heat loss
Purpose 4 Carefully add 80 mL of hot water to each beaker.
To investigate the effect of double-glazing in preventing (Ensure water is the same temperature in each.)
heat loss. 5 Place cardboard discs on top of each beaker and
insert the thermometers or temperature probes.
Materials
6 Record the temperature in each beaker every
• 2 × 100 mL beakers
minute for 10 minutes.
• cling wrap
Results
• 4 cardboard discs of
Copy the results table into your workbook and record
the same size, slightly
larger in diameter than the temperatures.
a 250 mL beaker
• stopwatch SAFETY! Time Water temperature Water temperature in
(min) in beaker without beaker with cling wrap
• 2 thermometers Be careful when cling wrap (°C) (°C)
(or data-logging handling hot liquids.
temperature probes) 0

• hot water 1

Procedure 2

3
thermometer/probe 4
cardboard
5

3 layers 7
of cling
wrap 8
100 mL
beaker 9

10

Discussion
Figure
5.3.13 1 State whether the layers of cling wrap had an effect
on the heat loss from the beaker.
1 Copy the results table into your workbook. 2 Explain how double-glazing windows can reduce
energy losses from a house.
2 Wrap one beaker with three layers of cling wrap.
3 Propose how the design of this experiment could be
3 Position each beaker on a cardboard disc. Punch
improved.
identical holes in the centre of the two remaining
discs to fit a thermometer or probe as shown in
Figure 5.3.13.

Using energy 199

 5 Chapter review

Remembering Evaluating
1 State another name for stored energy. 11 A Washwell washing machine has 3 stars and a SudZ
washing machine has 4½ stars.
2 List four types of stored energy.
a Assess which washing machine is more energy
3 Name the process in which green plants use light efficient.
from the Sun to produce chemical energy. b Specify which machine will require fewer joules
4 Name a device that can directly convert the Sun’s of electrical energy to complete a load of washing.
light into another form of energy. c Evaluate whether this would make a difference
over the lifetime of the washing machine.

Understanding Creating
5 Describe three examples of an object with kinetic 12 A ball of steel wool was added to a solution of
energy. copper sulfate as shown in Figure 5.4.1. The
6 Your body still needs energy while you are asleep. temperature of the copper sulfate solution was
Explain why this is the case. initially 15°C. One minute after the steel wool was
added, the temperature was 29°C.
7 Explain how energy rating labels help consumers
a Construct an energy flow diagram to show the
who are purchasing new electrical appliances.
energy changes that happened in this experiment.
b Predict whether the solution will remain at 29°C
Applying all day.
c Propose what will happen to the temperature of
8 Identify an example to match each form of energy. the solution and explain why.

Form of Example of something it can make 13 Use the following ten key terms to construct a visual
energy happen summary of the information presented in this chapter.
kinetic energy chemical energy
Sound Makes windows vibrate
sound energy energy efficiency
Kinetic energy transfer light energy
Light heat energy elastic potential energy
Heat energy transformation
gravitational potential energy
Electrical 5.9

9 A particular electric hot water system is 60% efficient.

This means for every 100 J of energy supplied, 60 J of
steel wool
heat energy is produced. If the system needs 60 000 J
of heat energy to heat a body of water, calculate how
many joules of electrical energy must be supplied.
thermometer

Analysing
10 Appliances are independently tested under Australian
standards to produce the energy rating label of each Figure
device. Discuss what could happen if there were not 5.4.1
strict rules about testing these products.

copper(II) sulfate solution

200 PEARSON science

Thinking scientifically

Q1 Lucy accidentally drops a chocolate cake on the

floor. Select the most likely sequence of energy
transformations that occur:

A heat energy → gravitational potential energy

→ kinetic energy → sound energy wave 1 wave 2

B gravitational potential energy → kinetic

energy → sound energy → heat energy
C kinetic energy → gravitational potential
energy → heat energy → sound energy
D sound energy → kinetic energy → heat wave 3 wave 4
energy → gravitational potential energy
Which of the following lists, in the correct order,
the sample waves that represent a quiet, low-
Q2 The temperature of particles is a measure of
pitched sound and a loud, high-pitched sound?
their average kinetic energy. Particles at a higher
temperature have more kinetic energy than A waves 1, 2 B waves 2, 1
particles at a lower temperature. Sarah adds one C waves 3, 4 D waves 4, 3
drop of food colouring to each of four samples
of water. Study the spread of the dye through the Q4 Angelo is about to start washing the dishes
samples. when he is called to answer the front door. He
leaves half a mug of coffee and half a glass of
lemonade floating in the sink. At the moment he
leaves, these have the temperatures shown in
the diagram below.

glass 1 glass 2 glass 3 glass 4

Which of the following correctly ranks the

water in the glasses in order of increasing 85˚
temperature? 25˚
A glasses 3, 4, 1, 2 B glasses 2, 1, 4, 3
C glasses 4, 3, 1, 2 D glasses 1, 2, 4, 3 6˚

Q3 The sound energy you hear can be represented

as a wave on a device called a cathode ray
oscilloscope. As the pitch of a sound increases,
it gets squeakier and the waves bunch up. As
the sound gets louder, the waves get taller.

Angelo is gone for 15 minutes. When he returns,

the coffee in the mug, the lemonade in the glass
and the washing-up water in the sink are most
likely to be which temperature?
A 90°, 11°, 20° B 80°, 5°, 19°
C 20°, 25°, 25° D 75°, 10° 18°.

Using energy 201

 Glossary

Unit 5.1 Unit 5.2

Chemical energy: energy stored within a substance Energy efficiency: the proportion of useful energy output
such as fuel or food that may be released when the from a device compared to the amount of energy that is
substance is burnt or digested input. This is usually expressed as a percentage.
Elastic potential energy: energy stored within a Energy flow diagram:
stretched or compressed object, like a spring or elastic diagram using arrows that heat
energy
material shows the way energy is
passed on or changed into electrical
Electrical energy: energy that causes charged particles
other forms in a particular energy
to move
situation
Energy: the ability to make a change happen; different
Energy transfer: the flow
forms include heat energy, light energy and sound
of energy from one object
Energy flow
energy diagram
into another object; for
Gravitational potential energy: stored energy of an example, the flow of heat
object that is held above the Earth’s surface from a metal spoon to your hand, or the flow of kinetic
energy from a bat to a ball that it hits
Heat energy: a measure of
the total kinetic energy Energy transformation: the conversion of one type of
possessed by particles in energy into another type of energy; for example, the
a substance conversion of electrical energy used in an MP3 player
into sound, light and heat energy
Joule (J): unit of
measurement for energy Law of conservation of energy: Energy cannot be
created or destroyed. It can only be transferred from
Kinetic energy: energy
one object to another or transformed into another
possessed by a moving
form of energy.
object
Kinetic energy
Light energy: form of
energy that is visible, Unit 5.3
such as that produced
by the Sun Energy rating label: a label
showing a number of stars
Nuclear energy: energy
(usually from 1 to 6), which can
stored inside an atom
be used to compare the energy
Photosynthesis: process in efficiency of different appliances
which green plants convert
light energy into chemical
Light energy Insulation: material added into
ceilings and between the walls of
energy
a house to reduce heat transfer
Potential energy: stored Energy
National House Energy Rating
energy possessed by an
Scheme: a scheme that uses
rating label
object, such as elastic
computer simulations to provide
potential energy of a
a star rating (to a maximum of 10 stars) to houses
squashed spring
based on the effectiveness of the external walls against
Sound energy: energy that heat loss
travels as vibrating waves
Potential
energy Organic photovoltaics: a new generation of flexible and
and can be heard by our ears
cheap solar cells made from carbon-based materials
as sound
Regenerative braking: vehicle braking system that
Work: this is done whenever an object is moved or is
stores some of the kinetic energy of a car as it slows
forced to change shape
down and uses this energy to power the car

202 PEARSON science