🔋 Stuff Every Energy Scout Should Know: the Study Guide

The cheat sheet

The whole guide on one screen. Screenshot it, print it, stick it on the fridge.

• The joule is the International System unit for energy. The watt measures power, which is energy per unit of time.
• In an isolated system, energy can change form but the total amount stays the same. It is never created or destroyed.
• Kinetic energy comes from motion. A moving object carries kinetic energy because of its movement.
• Potential energy reflects an object's potential to move, usually based on its position in a field.
• Power is energy per unit of time. One watt equals one joule of energy used each second.
• A kilowatt-hour is the energy from one kilowatt of power for an hour. That equals 3.6 million joules.
• Work is force times distance. Pushing with a force over a distance transfers energy.
• ATP is the main energy transporter in cells. It is continually broken down and rebuilt during cellular respiration.
• Mitochondria produce chemical energy for the rest of the cell. Humans use most of their oxygen there.
• Photosynthesis converts carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates, storing sunlight as chemical potential energy.
• The Sun's radiant energy powers Earth's climate and ecosystems. It is the main input to Earth's energy budget.
• Transducers change energy from one form to another. A battery is one example, changing chemical energy to electric energy.