Energy is everywhere around us - from the food you... Show more
Physics100 views·Updated Jun 1, 2026·3 pagesUnderstanding Energy Stores and Their Transfers
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Energy Stores and Transfer
Your world is packed with energy stores - different ways energy gets tucked away, ready to be used. Think of chemical energy as the power hiding in your lunch, petrol, or your phone battery, just waiting to fuel action.
When objects move, they've got kinetic energy - whether it's you running or a car speeding down the motorway. Meanwhile, thermal energy lives inside all objects, making them warm or hot to touch.
Elastic potential energy builds up when you stretch a rubber band, squash a spring, or twist something out of shape. Gravitational potential energy exists whenever objects sit high up - like a book on a shelf or you at the top of a slide.
Quick Tip: Remember that energy never just sits there doing nothing - it's constantly moving between these different stores through heating, forces, sound, light, and electricity!
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Conservation of Energy
Here's the golden rule that'll help you ace physics: energy can never be created or destroyed. This brilliant concept is called the law of conservation of energy, and it means energy only moves from one store to another.
Picture an electric kettle as a simple energy system. The total energy going in always equals the total energy coming out - it's perfectly balanced. We measure all this energy movement in Joules (J).
Energy diagrams make this concept dead easy to visualise. When a car brakes, kinetic energy (from the moving car) transfers through forces into thermal energy (hot brakes). Similarly, when a bullet hits an egg, the bullet's kinetic energy transfers through impact forces into heat, sound, and kinetic energy of the broken eggshell.
Remember: Energy is always conserved, but it doesn't always transfer into forms that are actually useful to us!
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Sankey Diagrams
Sankey diagrams are brilliant visual tools that show exactly how much energy transfers in any system. The width of each arrow represents the amount of energy measured in Joules - wider arrows mean more energy.
Looking at the example, 100J of electrical energy enters the system. Then it splits: 55J transfers as light energy whilst 45J transfers through heating.
These diagrams make energy transfers crystal clear and help you track where every single Joule goes. You'll find them incredibly useful for solving energy problems and understanding efficiency in real-world devices.
Pro Tip: The total width of arrows going out always equals the width of arrows going in - that's conservation of energy in action!
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Physics100 views·Updated Jun 1, 2026·3 pagesUnderstanding Energy Stores and Their Transfers
;)@pookiepie1234
Energy is everywhere around us - from the food you eat to your phone battery to a football flying through the air. Understanding how energy works and moves between different forms is crucial for mastering physics and explaining how our... Show more
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Energy Stores and Transfer
Your world is packed with energy stores - different ways energy gets tucked away, ready to be used. Think of chemical energy as the power hiding in your lunch, petrol, or your phone battery, just waiting to fuel action.
When objects move, they've got kinetic energy - whether it's you running or a car speeding down the motorway. Meanwhile, thermal energy lives inside all objects, making them warm or hot to touch.
Elastic potential energy builds up when you stretch a rubber band, squash a spring, or twist something out of shape. Gravitational potential energy exists whenever objects sit high up - like a book on a shelf or you at the top of a slide.
Quick Tip: Remember that energy never just sits there doing nothing - it's constantly moving between these different stores through heating, forces, sound, light, and electricity!
2
of 3Sign up to see the content. It's free!
- Access to all documents
- Improve your grades
- Join milions of students
Conservation of Energy
Here's the golden rule that'll help you ace physics: energy can never be created or destroyed. This brilliant concept is called the law of conservation of energy, and it means energy only moves from one store to another.
Picture an electric kettle as a simple energy system. The total energy going in always equals the total energy coming out - it's perfectly balanced. We measure all this energy movement in Joules (J).
Energy diagrams make this concept dead easy to visualise. When a car brakes, kinetic energy (from the moving car) transfers through forces into thermal energy (hot brakes). Similarly, when a bullet hits an egg, the bullet's kinetic energy transfers through impact forces into heat, sound, and kinetic energy of the broken eggshell.
Remember: Energy is always conserved, but it doesn't always transfer into forms that are actually useful to us!
3
of 3Sign up to see the content. It's free!
- Access to all documents
- Improve your grades
- Join milions of students
Sankey Diagrams
Sankey diagrams are brilliant visual tools that show exactly how much energy transfers in any system. The width of each arrow represents the amount of energy measured in Joules - wider arrows mean more energy.
Looking at the example, 100J of electrical energy enters the system. Then it splits: 55J transfers as light energy whilst 45J transfers through heating.
These diagrams make energy transfers crystal clear and help you track where every single Joule goes. You'll find them incredibly useful for solving energy problems and understanding efficiency in real-world devices.
Pro Tip: The total width of arrows going out always equals the width of arrows going in - that's conservation of energy in action!
We thought you’d never ask...
What is the Knowunity AI companion?
Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.
Where can I download the Knowunity app?
You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Is Knowunity really free of charge?
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.
Similar content
Most popular content: Energy Transfers
6Most popular content in Physics
9Most popular content
9Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.
Students love us — and so will you.
4.6/5App Store
4.7/5Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan SiOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha KlichAndroid user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
AnnaiOS user