Energy Stores
Tuesday, 13 January 2026 09:36
Energy tells us how much work the object can do. Energy is measured
in joules and kilojoules. The amount of energy give an indication of
the total amount of work that could be done, but not what will
happen.
Energy store is something that stores energy
Example of an energy store:
Battery (chemical energy store)
Charging your iPad means that the energy is in and using your iPad
means that the energy is being used somewhere else
Types of energy stores:
Kinetic energy store:
Energy within something that is moving. It doesn’t have to be alive as
long as it is moving. Some examples of kinetic energy stores: moving
bus / running human
Magnetic energy store:
2 or more magnets that repel or attract has magnetic energy stores in
them. Fridge magnets is an example of this energy store
Chemical Energy Store:
Anything that can make energy by chemicals. In other words, a
chemical reaction within certain chemicals create energy. For example,
food is an example of a chemical energy store because its molecules
hold potential energy in their chemical bonds.
Electrostatic energy stores:
2 or more electric charges that repel or attract each other have
electrostatic energy stores in them. Thunderclouds are an example of
electrostatic energy store because positive and negative energies build
up before creating a lightning discharge
Gravitational potential energy stores:
Gravitational potential energy (GPE) is the energy an object gains en
lifted against gravity. The higher the object goes, the more it has.
Anything that is above the “ground level” has this energy, whether
that’s a human or a table above the “floor”
Elastic Energy Store:
Anything stretched has energy in its elastic energy store. The energy
releases when the object return to its original form. For example, a
stretched spring has a lot of elastic energy store in it. When you let
go of the spring, the energy will be released a sit comes back to its
original form.
Thermal Energy store:
Thermal energy is energy of the substances due to motion of its atoms
and molecules. It transfers its energy to cooler places. The hotter an
object is, the higher the temperature is and the more energy it has in
its thermal energy store. Anything above the absolute zero
temperature (-273 dec. C) has thermal energy store in them.
Transferring between energies:
Energy can be transferred between stores in mainly 4 ways.
Mechanically:
When a force makes something move
Electrically:
When electric charges move around an electric circuit to give the
energy
By heating:
When energy is transferred from hotter places to cooler places
By light and sound:
When light or sound waves carry energy from one place to another
Example of energy being transferred between stores:
If someone is shooting an arrow, it is from Chemical Energy Store to
Elastic Energy Store
The person needs food to be fuelled and have enough energy to shoot.
Then that energy moves to the arrow mechanically so that the bow is
stretched, ready to shoot
The chemical energy comes from food and that energy is transferred
mechanically to the bow which will hold elastic energy store
Remember that if one energy store decreases, then the other one
increases.
In other words, the person’s energy will run low because they have
spent their energy on shooting. However, the bow’s energy will increase
because it is being stretched.
The elastic potential energy will be released when the bow is released
as well.
Tuesday, 13 January 2026 09:36
Energy tells us how much work the object can do. Energy is measured
in joules and kilojoules. The amount of energy give an indication of
the total amount of work that could be done, but not what will
happen.
Energy store is something that stores energy
Example of an energy store:
Battery (chemical energy store)
Charging your iPad means that the energy is in and using your iPad
means that the energy is being used somewhere else
Types of energy stores:
Kinetic energy store:
Energy within something that is moving. It doesn’t have to be alive as
long as it is moving. Some examples of kinetic energy stores: moving
bus / running human
Magnetic energy store:
2 or more magnets that repel or attract has magnetic energy stores in
them. Fridge magnets is an example of this energy store
Chemical Energy Store:
Anything that can make energy by chemicals. In other words, a
chemical reaction within certain chemicals create energy. For example,
food is an example of a chemical energy store because its molecules
hold potential energy in their chemical bonds.
Electrostatic energy stores:
2 or more electric charges that repel or attract each other have
electrostatic energy stores in them. Thunderclouds are an example of
electrostatic energy store because positive and negative energies build
up before creating a lightning discharge
Gravitational potential energy stores:
Gravitational potential energy (GPE) is the energy an object gains en
lifted against gravity. The higher the object goes, the more it has.
Anything that is above the “ground level” has this energy, whether
that’s a human or a table above the “floor”
Elastic Energy Store:
Anything stretched has energy in its elastic energy store. The energy
releases when the object return to its original form. For example, a
stretched spring has a lot of elastic energy store in it. When you let
go of the spring, the energy will be released a sit comes back to its
original form.
Thermal Energy store:
Thermal energy is energy of the substances due to motion of its atoms
and molecules. It transfers its energy to cooler places. The hotter an
object is, the higher the temperature is and the more energy it has in
its thermal energy store. Anything above the absolute zero
temperature (-273 dec. C) has thermal energy store in them.
Transferring between energies:
Energy can be transferred between stores in mainly 4 ways.
Mechanically:
When a force makes something move
Electrically:
When electric charges move around an electric circuit to give the
energy
By heating:
When energy is transferred from hotter places to cooler places
By light and sound:
When light or sound waves carry energy from one place to another
Example of energy being transferred between stores:
If someone is shooting an arrow, it is from Chemical Energy Store to
Elastic Energy Store
The person needs food to be fuelled and have enough energy to shoot.
Then that energy moves to the arrow mechanically so that the bow is
stretched, ready to shoot
The chemical energy comes from food and that energy is transferred
mechanically to the bow which will hold elastic energy store
Remember that if one energy store decreases, then the other one
increases.
In other words, the person’s energy will run low because they have
spent their energy on shooting. However, the bow’s energy will increase
because it is being stretched.
The elastic potential energy will be released when the bow is released
as well.
