1. What is Energy?
Think about how much energy living things use.
If you’re a soccer player, you have to move into position to intercept the ball. You have to adjust your body so that you can control the ball. You have to kick the ball where you want it to go.
Each action, even the thinking behind the action, involves energy. It took energy for you to grow to your current size. It takes energy to heal when you have a injury. It takes energy to digest food.
So what is energy? Where do we get it?
Energy is the ability to do work. In a system with no energy, nothing is happening. Everything stops.
2. Know these forms of energy
As a biology student, there are only a few kinds of energy you need to know about.
- Light energy is the energy in light.
- Chemical energy is the energy stored in the chemical bonds of molecules.
- Kinetic energy is the energy of motion.
3. Energy Transformations
Living things are capable of taking energy and transforming it from one form to another. When light shines on the leaves of a potato plant, the plant takes the light energy and transforms it into chemical energy in the form of carbohydrate. When you eat the potato, you take that chemical energy, and can use it to power muscle movement, or kinetic energy.
4. Checking Understanding
Simple, right? Take this short quiz to make sure you’ve got it.
[qwiz style = “border: 3px solid black; ” qrecord_id=”sciencemusicvideosMeister1961-Life and Energy (HS)”]
[h] Quiz: Life and Energy
[i] Here’s how the quiz works:
- Each question is multiple choice, but the entire quiz is like a series of flashcards.
- If you get the question right, it comes off the deck.
- If you get the question wrong, it goes to the bottom of the deck, so you can try it again.
[q topic= “life_and_energy”]Energy is
[c]IHRoZSBhYmlsaXR5IHRv IHBlcmZvcm0gd29yay4=[Qq]
[c]IGhvdyBob3Qgc29tZXRoaW5nIGlz[Qq]
[c]IGhvdyBzdHJvbmdseSBvbmUgb2JqZWN0IGF0dHJhY3RzIGFub3RoZXI=[Qq]
[f]IENvcnJlY3QuIEVuZXJneSBpcyB0aGUgYWJpbGl0eSB0byBkbyB3b3JrLg==[Qq]
[f]IE5vLiBUaGF0IHNvdW5kcyBtb3JlIGxpa2UgdGVtcGVyYXR1cmUgKHRoZSBhdmVyYWdlIGFtb3VudCBvZiBoZWF0IHByZXNlbnQgaW4gYW4gb2JqZWN0KS4gTmV4dCB0aW1lLCBrZWVwIGluIG1pbmQgdGhhdCB3aXRob3V0IGVuZXJneSwgbm90aGluZyBjYW4gZ2V0IGRvbmUu[Qq]
[f]IE5vLiBUaGF0IHNvdW5kIG1vcmUgbGlrZSBncmF2aXR5LCBvciBtYWduZXRpc20uIE5leHQgdGltZSwga2VlcCBpbiBtaW5kIHRoYXQgd2l0aG91dCBlbmVyZ3ksIG5vdGhpbmcgY2FuIGdldCBkb25lLg==
Cg==[Qq]
[q topic= “life_and_energy”]The energy put out by the sun is
[c]IGNoZW1pY2FsIGVuZXJneQ==[Qq]
[c]IGtpbmV0aWMgZW5lcmd5[Qq]
[c]IGxpZ2h0IG VuZXJneQ==[Qq]
[f]IE5vLiBDaGVtaWNhbCBlbmVyZ3kgaXMgdGhlIGVuZXJneSBzdG9yZWQgaW4gY2hlbWljYWwgYm9uZHMuIE5leHQgdGltZSwgdGhpbmsgYWJvdXQgd2hhdCB5b3Ugc2VlIHdoZW4geW91IGxvb2sgdG93YXJkIHRoZSBzdW4u[Qq]
[f]IE5vLiBLaW5ldGljIGVuZXJneSBpcyBlbmVyZ3kgb2YgbW90aW9uLiBOZXh0IHRpbWUsIHRoaW5rIGFib3V0IHdoYXQgeW91IHNlZSB3aGVuIHlvdSBsb29rIHRvd2FyZCB0aGUgc3VuLg==[Qq]
[f]IFllcy4gVGhlIHN1biBwdXRzIG91dCBsaWdodCBlbmVyZ3ku
Cg==[Qq]
[q topic= “life_and_energy”]A package of spaghetti says that the spaghetti has 100 calories in each serving. ‘Calorie’ must be a unit of what kind of energy?
[c]IGxpZ2h0IGVuZXJneQ==[Qq]
[c]IGNoZW1pY2Fs IGVuZXJneQ==[Qq]
[c]IGtpbmV0aWMgZW5lcmd5[Qq]
[f]IE5vLiBZb3XigJlkIHVzZSBhIGxpZ2h0IG1ldGVyIHRvIG1lYXN1cmUgbGlnaHQuIFdoZW4geW91IGVhdCBzcGFnaGV0dGksIHlvdeKAmXJlIGdldHRpbmcgZW5lcmd5IGZyb20gdGhlIGJvbmRzIHRoYXQgaG9sZCB0aGUgbW9sZWN1bGVzIHRvZ2V0aGVyLiBXaGF0IGtpbmQgb2YgZW5lcmd5IGlzIHRoYXQ/[Qq]
[f]IFllcy4gVGhlIGNhbG9yaWUgaXMgYSBtZWFzdXJlIG9mIGNoZW1pY2FsIGVuZXJneS4gV2hlbiB5b3UgZWF0IHNwYWdoZXR0aSwgeW914oCZcmUgZ2V0dGluZyBlbmVyZ3kgZnJvbSB0aGUgYm9uZHMgdGhhdCBob2xkIHRoZSBtb2xlY3VsZXMgdG9nZXRoZXIsIGFuZCB0aGUgY2Fsb3JpZSBpcyBvbiAoaW5kaXJlY3QpIG1lYXN1cmUgb2YgdGhlIGVuZXJneSBpbiB0aG9zZSBib25kcy7CoMKgRXNzZW50aWFsbHksIGl04oCZcyBhIG1lYXN1cmUgb2YgaG93IG11Y2ggaGVhdCBpcyByZWxlYXNlZCB3aGVuIGFuIG9iamVjdCBpcyBidXJuZWQsIGFuZCBidXJuaW5nIGlzIGEgY2hlbWljYWwgcmVhY3Rpb24u[Qq]
[f]IE5vLiBLaW5ldGljIGVuZXJneSBpcyBlbmVyZ3kgb2YgbW90aW9uLiBXaGVuIHlvdSBlYXQgc3BhZ2hldHRpLCB5b3XigJlyZSBnZXR0aW5nIGVuZXJneSBmcm9tIHRoZSBib25kcyB0aGF0IGhvbGQgdGhlIG1vbGVjdWxlcyB0b2dldGhlci4gV2hhdCBraW5kIG9mIGVuZXJneSBpcyB0aGF0Pw==
Cg==[Qq]
[q topic= “life_and_energy”]A classroom experiment involves a set of fluorescent bulbs (the long, tube-like ones) that shine their energy on plants. The energy from these bulbs is
[c]IGxpZ2h0IG VuZXJneQ==[Qq]
[c]IGNoZW1pY2FsIGVuZXJneQ==[Qq]
[c]IGtpbmV0aWMgZW5lcmd5[Qq]
[f]IFllcy4gQSBmbHVvcmVzY2VudCBidWxiIHB1dHMgb3V0IGxpZ2h0IGVuZXJneS4=[Qq]
[f]IE5vLiBDaGVtaWNhbCBlbmVyZ3kgaXMgdGhlIGVuZXJneSBzdG9yZWQgaW4gdGhlIGNoZW1pY2FsIGJvbmRzIG9mIG1vbGVjdWxlcy4gV2hlbiBhIGZsdW9yZXNjZW50IGJ1bGIgaXMgdHVybmVkIG9uLCBlbGVjdHJpY2l0eSBpcyBiZWluZyBjb252ZXJ0ZWQgaW50byBhbm90aGVyIGZvcm0gb2YgZW5lcmd5LiBXaGljaCBvbmU/[Qq]
[f]IE5vLiBLaW5ldGljIGVuZXJneSBpcyBlbmVyZ3kgb2YgbW90aW9uLiBXaGlsZSBwaG90b25zIChsaWdodCBwYXJ0aWNsZXMpIGFyZSBtb3ZpbmcgZnJvbSB0aGUgYnVsYnMsIHdlIGRvbuKAmXQgZ2VuZXJhbGx5IGNsYXNzaWZ5IHdoYXQgY29tZXMgb3V0IG9mIGEgYnVsYiBhcyBraW5ldGljIGVuZXJneS4gV2hlbiBhIGZsdW9yZXNjZW50IGJ1bGIgaXMgdHVybmVkIG9uLCBlbGVjdHJpY2l0eSBpcyBiZWluZyBjb252ZXJ0ZWQgaW50byBhbm90aGVyIGZvcm0gb2YgZW5lcmd5LiBXaGljaCBvbmU/
Cg==[Qq]
[q topic= “life_and_energy”]Plants take energy that comes from the sun and convert it into
[c]IGxpZ2h0IGVuZXJneQ==[Qq]
[c]IGNoZW1pY2Fs IGVuZXJneQ==[Qq]
[c]IGtpbmV0aWMgZW5lcmd5[Qq]
[f]IE5vLiBQbGFudHMgYXJlIGhhcnZlc3RpbmcgdGhlIHN1buKAmXMgbGlnaHQgZW5lcmd5LCBhbmQgc3RvcmluZyBpdCBhd2F5IGluIHRoZSBib25kcyB0aGF0IG1ha2UgdXAgY2FyYm9oeWRyYXRlIG1vbGVjdWxlcy4gRW5lcmd5IHN0b3JlZCBpbiB0aGUgYm9uZHMgb2YgbW9sZWN1bGVzIGlzIHdoYXQga2luZCBvZiBlbmVyZ3k/[Qq]
[f]IFllcy4gUGxhbnRzIGFyZSB0YWtpbmcgbGlnaHQgZW5lcmd5IGFuZCBjb252ZXJ0aW5nIGl0IGludG8gY2hlbWljYWwgZW5lcmd5LiBUaGlzIG9jY3VycyB0aHJvdWdoIHBob3Rvc3ludGhlc2lzLCB3aGljaCB3ZSYjODIxNztsbCBjb3ZlciBpbiBhbm90aGVyIHR1dG9yaWFsLg==[Qq]
[f]IE5vLiBLaW5ldGljIGVuZXJneSBpcyBlbmVyZ3kgb2YgbW90aW9uLiBQbGFudHMgYXJlIHRha2luZyBsaWdodCBlbmVyZ3ksIGFuZCBzdG9yaW5nIGl0IGF3YXkgaW4gdGhlIGJvbmRzIHRoYXQgbWFrZSB1cCBjYXJib2h5ZHJhdGUgbW9sZWN1bGVzLiBFbmVyZ3kgc3RvcmVkIGluIHRoZSBib25kcyBvZiBtb2xlY3VsZXMgaXMgd2hhdCBraW5kIG9mIGVuZXJneT8=
Cg==[Qq]
[q topic= “life_and_energy”]If you eat an apple, and then use the energy in the apple during a bike ride, you’re converting
[c]IGxpZ2h0IGVuZXJneSBpbnRvIGNoZW1pY2FsIGVuZXJneS4=[Qq]
[c]IGtpbmV0aWMgZW5lcmd5IGludG8gbGlnaHQgZW5lcmd5[Qq]
[c]IGNoZW1pY2FsIGVuZXJneSBpbnRvIGxpZ2h0IGVuZXJneQ==[Qq]
[c]IGNoZW1pY2FsIGVuZXJneSBp bnRvIGtpbmV0aWMgZW5lcmd5[Qq]
[f]IE5vLiBUaGlzIGlzIHdoYXQgcGxhbnRzIGRvIGR1cmluZyBhIHBob3Rvc3ludGhlc2lzLiBXaGF0IHlvdeKAmXZlIGRvbmUgaXMgdG8gdGFrZSBjaGVtaWNhbCBib25kIGVuZXJneSwgYW5kIHRyYW5zZm9ybSBpdCBpbnRvIGVuZXJneSBvZiBtb3Rpb24uIFdoYXQgYXJlIHRoZSBuYW1lcyBmb3IgY2hlbWljYWwgYm9uZCBlbmVyZ3kgYW5kIGVuZXJneSBvZiBtb3Rpb24/[Qq]
[f]IE5vLiBUaGF0IGVuZXJneSB0cmFuc2Zvcm1hdGlvbiBoYXBwZW5zIHdoZW4gYSBnZW5lcmF0b3IgaXMgdXNlZCB0byBwb3dlciBhIGxpZ2h0IGJ1bGIuIFdoYXQgeW914oCZdmUgZG9uZSBpcyB0byB0YWtlIGNoZW1pY2FsIGJvbmQgZW5lcmd5LCBhbmQgdHJhbnNmb3JtIGl0IGludG8gZW5lcmd5IG9mIG1vdGlvbi4gV2hhdCBhcmUgdGhlIG5hbWVzIGZvciBjaGVtaWNhbCBib25kIGVuZXJneSBhbmQgZW5lcmd5IG9mIG1vdGlvbj8=[Qq]
[f]IE5vLiBUaGF0IGVuZXJneSB0cmFuc2Zvcm1hdGlvbiBoYXBwZW5zIHdoZW4geW91IGJ1cm4gYSBjYW5kbGUuIFdoYXQgeW914oCZdmUgZG9uZSBpcyB0byB0YWtlIGNoZW1pY2FsIGJvbmQgZW5lcmd5LCBhbmQgdHJhbnNmb3JtIGl0IGludG8gZW5lcmd5IG9mIG1vdGlvbi4gV2hhdCBhcmUgdGhlIG5hbWVzIGZvciBjaGVtaWNhbCBib25kIGVuZXJneSBhbmQgZW5lcmd5IG9mIG1vdGlvbj8=[Qq]
[f]IEV4YWN0bHkhIFlvdeKAmXJlIHRha2luZyBmb29kIGVuZXJneSAod2hpY2ggaXMgY2hlbWljYWwgZW5lcmd5KSwgYW5kIGNvbnZlcnRpbmcgaXQgaW50byBraW5ldGljIGVuZXJneS4gVGhpcyBpcyBhIGNvbW1vbiBlbmVyZ3kgdHJhbnNmb3JtYXRpb24gaW4gYW5pbWFscy4=[Qq]
[x]
[restart]
[/qwiz]