4 Energy resources and energy transfers
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Energy resources and energy transfers units
4.1
Use the units kilogram (kg), joule (J), metre (m), metre per second (m/s), metre per second squared (m/s²), newton (N), second (s) and watt (W).
(b) Energy transfers
Describe energy transfers involving energy stores: • energy stores: chemical, kinetic, gravitational, elastic, thermal, magnetic, electrostatic, nuclear • energy transfers: mechanically, electrically, by heating, by radiation (light and sound)
Use the principle of conservation of energy
Know and use efficiency = useful energy output ÷ total energy output × 100%.
Describe a variety of everyday and scientific devices and situations, explaining the transfer of the input energy in terms of the above relationship, including their representation by Sankey diagrams
Describe how thermal energy transfer may take place by conduction, convection and radiation
Explain the role of convection in everyday phenomena
Explain how emission and absorption of radiation are related to surface and temperature
Practical: investigate thermal energy transfer by conduction, convection and radiation
Explain ways of reducing unwanted energy transfer, such as insulation
(c) Work and power
Know and use work done = force × distance moved in the force direction, W = Fd.
Know that work done is equal to energy transferred
Know and use gravitational potential energy = mass × gravitational field strength × height, GPE = mgh.
Know and use kinetic energy = ½ × mass × speed², KE = ½mv².
Understand how conservation of energy produces a link between gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy and work
Describe power as the rate of transfer of energy or the rate of doing work
Use power = work done (energy transferred) ÷ time taken, P = W/t.
(d) Energy resources and electricity generation
Describe the energy transfers involved in generating electricity using: • wind • water • geothermal resources • solar heating systems • solar cells • fossil fuels • nuclear power
Describe the advantages and disadvantages of methods of large-scale electricity production from various renewable and non-renewable resources