Energy Transfer

Energy makes things happen (or more formally: the ability to do work).

Although electrical energy is stored and transferred differently than the energy used by your body, all energy can make things happen. Motion energy, heat energy, sound energy and light energy can all be transferred from place to place.

Examples include a bike that powers a TV when it is pedaled, a water wheel, a wind turbine, etc.

No. Batteries convert energy from one form to another. They store chemical energy that is converted to electrical energy when connected to a device through wires.

Bert’s energy was transferred to several different devices that run on electricity such as Izzy's popcorn maker.

Dr. Jeff’s mom uses motion energy to pedal a bike, which spins a wheel that is attached to a generator. The generator changes the motion energy into electrical energy, which flows through wires to Bert. Bert then stores energy in his batteries to use later.

Generators don’t actually generate energy. Instead, they convert one type of energy to another. In the video you can see a generator convert motion energy into electrical energy when Dr. Jeff’s mom pedals the bike.

A toaster is an example of a device that converts electrical energy into heat energy. A lamp converts electrical energy into light energy and a boom box converts electrical energy into sound energy.

Power plants might generate electricity by using the power of moving water to spin a generator or by burning coal to produce steam, which also spins a generator.

Power plants do not produce energy, they only convert energy from one form to another. For example they can convert the energy from burning coal (chemical energy) into electricity (electrical energy).

A solar cell converts light energy to electrical energy.

The hot drink transfers energy to the ice which will cause the ice to melt. Since the hot drink is losing energy, it cools down.

Electricity only flows through a completed path we call a "closed circuit." Any opening in this path will stop the flow of electricity. A common example of a closed circuit would be a battery connected to a device through TWO wires which allow the electricity to flow in a loop.

When Dr. Jeff turns on very loud music near a pane of glass, some of that energy is converted to motion energy that causes the glass to bend, move and eventually shatter.