اشكال الطاقة - الميكانيك .. الفيزياء

Forms of Energy - Mechanics .. Physics

Forms of Energy

Sometimes, the sum of the potential and kinetic energies of a body is called mechanical energy - that is, the energy produced for work by some types of machines. It is known that the use or storage of energy is done in many forms - no less important than the potential and kinetic forms therein. Chemical energy, for example, is the energy stored in the atoms and molecules of matter, and chemical reactions convert part of it into thermal energy, as happens in the combustion of types of fuel such as coal, oil and natural gas, where part of its radiant energy is released in the form of infrared rays.

A heat engine is a machine for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy, but part of the latter returns and turns into heat as a result of the friction of the areas of two bodies with each other.
(Transformations between different forms of energy)

Electricity is another form of energy generated from chemical energy in an electric cell or battery, and from mechanical energy in an electric generator or dynamo. Electrical energy is converted into radiant energy by radio waves, light, ultraviolet rays, and X-rays.

The greatest amount of energy is trapped inside the nucleus of the atom, where enormous forces secure the cohesion of fine particles. Once these particles are freed from their restrictions inside a nuclear reactor, for example (or a nuclear bomb), a large amount of heat or radiant energy is generated.

In the illustrative image, we see some of the energy transformations, none of which occur without the presence of matter. It is worth noting here that energy exists in open space, but only in the form of radiant energy.

All energy reaches the Earth in the form of radiant energy emitted by the sun, except for the energy of radiant activity emitted by the rock layers in the Earth's interior. The comparison between the energy reserves of different types of fuel and the energy derived from nuclear sources has shown the importance of developing means of producing energy by nuclear fusion.