Question

List any six forms of energy and write a short note on each of them.

Answer 1

Six forms of energy:
1. Solar energy: The energy radiated by the sun is called the solar energy. Inside the sun, energy is produced by nuclear fusion reaction. Solar energy cannot be used to do work directly, because it is too diffused and is not always uniformly available. However, a number of devices such as solar panels, solar cells etc. have been invented to make use of solar energy.
2. Heat energy: The energy released on burning coal, oil, wood or gas is the heat energy. The stem possesses heat energy it has capacity to do work.
3. Light energy: It is the form of energy in presence of which other objects are seen. The natural source of light energy is sun. Many other sources of heat energy also give light energy.
4. Chemical or fuel energy: The energy possessed by fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum and natural gas is called chemical energy or fuel energy. These fuels are formed from the decayed remains of dead plants and animals that lived millions of years ago. In the interior of earth, due to high pressure and temperature the remains slowly changed into fossil fuels.
5. Hydro energy: The energy possessed by fast moving water is called the hydro energy. This energy is used to generate electricity in hydroelectric power stations. For this, dams are built across the rivers high up in the hills to store water. Water is allowed to run down the pipes and the energy of running water is used to turn a turbine. The turbine drives generators to produce electrical energy.
6. Nuclear energy: The energy released during the processes of nuclear fission and fusion is called nuclear (or atomic) energy. In both these processes, there is loss in mass which converts into energy in accordance with Einstein's mass-energy relation, E =mc².