Mechanical Energy- Mechanical energy is the most familiar form of energy. It is the energy a substance or system has because of its motion. Every moving object has mechanical energy, whether it is a hammer driving a nail, a leaf falling from a tree, or a rocket flying in space. Mechanical energy pulls, pushes, twists, turns and throws. Machines use mechanical energy to do work. Our bodies also use mechanical energy to perform motions such as throwing a ball or moving a pencil to write on paper.
Example: Raising a flag up a flag pole
Sound Energy- Sound is the movement of energy through substances in longitudinal (compression/rarefaction) waves. Sound is produced when a force causes an object or substance to vibrate — the energy is transferred through the substance in a wave. Typically, the energy in sound is far less than other forms of energy.
Let's see this illustration.
A vibrating drum in a disco transfers energy to the room as sound. Kinetic energy from the moving air molecules transfers the sound energy to the dancers eardrums. Notice that Kinetic (movement) energy in the sticks is being transferred into sound energy.
Sound vibrations create sound waves which move through mediums such as
air and water before reaching our ears.
Example: The sound caused by the vibrations of the strings on a guitar.
Electrical Energy- A battery transfers stored chemical energy as charged particles called electrons, typically moving through a wire. For example, electrical energy is transferred to the surroundings by the lamp as light energy and thermal (heat) energy.
Lightning is one good example of electrical energy in nature, so powerful that it is not confined to a wire. Thunderclouds build up large amounts of electrical energy. This is called static electricity. They are released during lightning when the clouds strike against each other.
Light Energy- Light energy is the only visible form of energy. Light energy is the energy produced or given off directly from the sun causing the growth of plants and the existence of most life forms.
Example: Light from the sun, a fire or candle
Thermal/Heat Energy- Thermal energy is what we call energy that comes from heat. For example, a cup of hot tea has thermal energy in the form of kinetic energy from its' particles. When you pour some milk into your tea, some of this energy is transferred to the particles in cold milk. What happens next? The cup of tea is cooler because it lost thermal energy to the milk.
Example: Heat from the sun or a fire
Some of the information was taken from the websites: www.eschooltoday.com and www.energyeducation.tx.gov
