WHAT IS ENERGY?
Energy helps us to do things. It gives us light. It warms
our bodies and heats our homes. It bakes a cake and keeps
our milk cold. It runs our TVs and our cars. It makes us
grow and move and think. ENERGY IS THE ABILITY TO DO
WORK.
ENERGY GIVES US LIGHT
Light is a type of energy we use all the time. We use it
so that we can see when it is dark. We get most of our
light from the sun. That's why we stay awake during the
day. It saves money. Sunlight is free.
At night, we must make our own light. Usually, we use
electricity to make light. Flashlights use electricity
too. This electricity comes from batteries.
ENERGY MAKES THINGS GROW
All living things need energy to grow. Plants use light
from the sun to grow. They store the energy from the sun
in their roots and leaves.
Animals can't store light energy like plants. Animals,
including people, eat plants, and use the energy stored
in the plants to grow. They store the energy from plants
in their muscles.
ENERGY GIVES US HEAT
We use energy to make heat. The food we eat keeps our
bodies warm. Sometimes, when we run or work really hard,
we get hot. In the winter, our jackets and blankets hold
in our body heat.
We use the energy stored in plants and other things to
make heat. We burn wood and natural gas to cook food and
warm our houses. Factories burn fuel to make the products
they sell. Some types of power plants burn coal to make
electricity.
ENERGY MAKES THINGS MOVE
It takes energy to make things move. Cars run on the
energy stored in gasoline. Many toys run on the energy
stored in batteries. Sailboats are pushed by the energy
in the wind. After a long day, do you ever feel too tired
to move? You've run out of energy! You need to eat some
food to refuel.
ENERGY RUNS MACHINES
It takes energy to run our TVs, computers and video
games-energy in the form of electricity. We use
electricity many times every day. It gives us light and
heat, it makes things move, and it runs our toys and
microwaves. Try to imagine what your life would be like
without electricity.
We make electricity by burning coal, oil, gas, and even
trash. We make it from the energy that holds atoms
together. We make it with energy from the sun, the wind,
and falling water. Sometimes, we use heat from inside the
earth to make electricity.
ENERGY DOESN'T DISAPPEAR
There is the same amount of today as there was when the
world began. When we use energy, we do not use it up. We
change it into another type of energy. When we burn wood,
we change its energy into heat. When we drive a car, we
change the energy in gasoline into heat and motion.
There will always be the same amount of energy in the
world. But more and more of it will be changed into heat.
Most of that heat will go into the air. It will still be
there, but it will be hard to use.
|
Pictures Coming
Soon! |
