Question

1. Click here to access an interactive simulation where you will explore the transfer and transformations of different types of energy that you have learned about in this lesson.

2. Click the systems box, and then select the energy symbols box. This will allow you to see the movement of energy and its type in the system.

3. Under the bike the person is riding, drag the blue rectangle to the right to start the system.

4. The chemical energy in the person's body is transformed into
when they peddle the bike, causing the generator to rotate. Some energy in the bike wheel is lost to
. The generator produces electricity, which heats the water, causing it to produce thermal energy in the form of steam. When the person's chemical energy runs out, how do you replenish it?

5. Change the initial energy source to sun, the intermediate energy source to the solar panel, and the final energy source to the windmill. In this system,
is produced from the sun and transformed into electricity in the solar panel. Both of these types of energy are considered forms of
. The result of this system is that the windmill produces mechanical energy.

6. Try a few more scenarios, choosing different initial, intermediate, and final energy sources. Observe places where energy is transformed and lost. Creating systems with the least amount of energy is important in engineering design.

Answer 1

Here are the filled-in answers and brief explanations:

4. The chemical energy in the person's body is transformed into mechanical energy (kinetic energy) when they pedal the bike, causing the generator to rotate. Some energy in the bike wheel is lost to friction and is dissipated as thermal energy (and some as sound). When the person's chemical energy runs out, you replenish it by eating food (taking in chemical energy from carbohydrates, fats, etc.) and by resting so the body can restore energy stores.

5. In this system, radiant (light) energy is produced from the sun and transformed into electricity in the solar panel. Both of these types of energy — radiant energy from the sun and the electricity produced — can be considered forms of energy and, in this context, forms of renewable energy. The result of this system is that the windmill produces mechanical energy.

Tip for step 6: try different combinations (e.g., gasoline → engine → generator → lights, or sun → solar panel → motor → fan) and watch where energy changes form and where energy is lost (usually to heat from friction/resistance or sound). Minimizing those losses is a key goal in engineering design.