Energy. It is what moves the world and what we talk about millions of times on this blog. Renewable energy sources y Non-renewableelectricity mechanical energy, kinetics, etc. All that we always talk about is energy. But, What is energy We usually analyze our surroundings and see how plants grow, animals move and reproduce, we produce machines and develop technology. All of this has a common engine and that is energy.
Do you want to know what energy is and everything related to it? Keep reading to know more.
Energy as a way of life
All the processes that I mentioned in the entry of the post, such as the growth of plants, the reproduction of animals, their movement, the fact that we breathe need energy. Energy is the property that is associated with objects and substances that manifests itself in the transformations that occur in nature. In other words, it is the ability of a body to perform an action or work and produce a change or transformation.
For energy to manifest it has to pass from one body to another. Therefore, a body has an energy thanks to the movement it makes or the opposition with which it faces all the forces that act on it.
We can observe the different energy changes through physical modifications and in chemical changes. For example, when we drink a glass of water we are using physical energy. We can develop and use energy to deform an object or transform it into another. These manifestations that are observed are of physical energy. It is an energy that can physically displace, move, transform or shape an object without changing its composition.
On the other hand, we have chemical energy. We can observe it in the combustion of wood, for example. This produces a change in the chemical composition of the wood and we can perfectly see the combustion process. In this process a large amount of energy is released. Combustion is used as the main source of energy for many things.
Work on a body
When we say that energy has the capacity to do work, we refer to that work as one of the energy transmissions. Work is considered as the force that is carried out on a body so that it moves. It is evident that, if we want a body to move from its place, we must act by giving it a force. Strength comes from energy. For example, if I want to move a box, my internal energy comes from the metabolism and use of ATP (the body's universal energy exchange molecule) and it is what gives strength to the body.
To check the work carried out on a body, the forces that direct movement and the forces acting on the same object must also be taken into account. That is, if the object is in height, we will take into account the potential energy and when the object begins to move, it will be necessary to mention the friction force that acts on the surface and that serves as resistance so that they do not move without any type of effort.
In outer space there is no force of gravity or friction, so if we apply energy to carry out work on a body, that body will move with constant speed for the rest of the centuries. This happens because there is no other force that makes it stop such as gravity or friction.
Power and mechanical energy
Power is the relationship between the work done on a body and the time spent doing it. Its unit in the International System is the watt. One of the most used measures in the field of electrical energy is electric power. And it is that the power is what measures the speed with which the work is done. That is, the speed of the transfer of energy that takes place from one body to another.
On the other hand, we have mechanical energy. It is based on forces that are mechanical, such as elasticity and gravitational force. These bodies, by moving and being displaced from their equilibrium position, obtain mechanical energy. Mechanical energy can be of two types: either kinetic energy or potential energy.
Types of energy
Once we have explained what energy is and all the factors that intervene in it, we will go on to develop the types of energy that exist. These are:
- Thermal energy. It is about the internal energy of the bodies. It is due to the movement of the particles that make up matter. When a body is at a lower temperature, the particles inside move at a slower speed. This is reason enough that the thermal energy of a colder body is lower.
- Electric power. This type of energy is the one that is formed when a movement of electrical charges takes place inside conductive materials. Electric energy forms three types of effects: luminous, magnetic and thermal. An example is the electrical energy in our houses that can be seen through the use of a light bulb.
- Radiant energy. It is also called electromagnetic radiation. It is the energy that electromagnetic waves possess within the spectrum. For example, we have visible light, radio waves, ultraviolet rays or microwaves. The main characteristics of this energy is that it has the ability to propagate through the void without the need for any body to support it.
- Chemical energy. It is what takes place in chemical reactions. For example, in a battery there is chemical energy apart from electrical energy.
- Nuclear energy. It is the energy that is found within the nucleus of the atoms and that are released in reactions both of fission like fusion.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about energy.