Activity - Identifying Forms of Energy

Envision an afternoon at the park with various things happening all around you. These things, listed below, represent the six fundamental forms of energy: Mechanical, Chemical, Thermal/Heat, Electrical, Nuclear and Radiation. Your task is to determine what form of energy is represented by each item.

1. Light bulb in a lamp post
2. Two women sitting at a picnic table drinking water. The arrow is pointing to the cups of water. One cup is sitting on the table and the other is in a woman's hand.
3. A doctor looking at an X-ray
4. A Frisbee flying through the air
5. The sun
6. A man getting ready to hit a golf ball with a golf club. The arrow is pointing at the head of the golf club.
7. A little boy eating an ice cream cone. The arrow is pointing to the ice cream on the ice cream cone.

Now spend some time trying to identify the different forms of energy that are at work in the above items. Once you have thought through this and have some answers, read on to see if you are correct.

ANSWERS

1. Light bulb in a lamp post - Electrical Energy
2. Cups of water. One is sitting on a table and the other is in a woman's hand. - Thermal or Heat Energy
3. An X-ray - Nuclear Energy
4. A Frisbee flying through the air - Mechanical (kinetic) Energy
5. The sun - Radiation
6. A golf club getting ready to hit a ball - Mechanical (Potential)
7. The ice cream in an ice cream cone - Chemical