Energy Stores and Transfers: A Simple Animated Guide

Today we'll explore the six main types of energy stores.First, let's look at chemical energy, which is stored in the bonds between atoms. We find this in batteries and food.Thermal energy is found in hot objects, like this cup of coffee. The hotter an object is, the more thermal energy it contains.Kinetic energy is the energy of motion. Any moving object, like a car, has kinetic energy.Gravitational potential energy is stored in objects that are raised above the ground. The higher the object, the more energy it has.Elastic potential energy is found in stretched or compressed objects, like springs or rubber bands.Finally, nuclear energy is stored within atomic nuclei. This is the most concentrated form of energy we know.Mechanical work transfers energy through forces and movement.Electrical work moves energy through circuits, like in this light bulb example.Heat energy transfers from warmer objects to cooler ones through temperature differences.Radiation transfers energy through waves, like light from the sun or heat from a fire.In all these transfers, energy always flows from where there's more to where there's less.This principle applies to all energy transfers in nature, from a hot cup of coffee cooling down, to a battery powering a light bulb, to a lifted weight falling to the ground.