3-NRG-01

Outcomes

• Pupils can describe the different forms of energy.
• Pupils understand that energy can be transferred from one form to another.
• Pupils understand that energy is conserved.

Specification References

• 4.2
• 4.3

Starter

• Elicit types of energy that pupils already know.

Main Body of Lesson

• Issue pupils with definitions of forms of energy and run through each one individually.
  • Differentiate between stored (potential) energy and "energy in use".
  • Stored: nuclear potential, gravitational potential, chemical potential and elastic potential (a.k.a. stored mechanical energy).
  • In use: kinetic, thermal, electrical, radiant (a.k.a. light) and sound.
• Introduce pupils to the concept of energy transfer.
  • Include the concept of useful energy transfer with reference to filament lightbulbs.
• Pupils run through energy circus.
• Pupils run through energy transfers loop game.

A note on terminology

• There are a number of preferred terms here: please talk about "forms" of energy rather than "types" or "sorts" and please discourage the use of "heat energy" - heat is a verb, not a noun, the correct term is "thermal energy".

Homework

Resources Required

• Energy Circus

Skills Addressed

• Understanding conserved quantities.

Safety/Hazards

• Various items from the energy circus can be hazardous.