Energy stores and transfers · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Energy stores and how energy moves

Science · Energy · ages 11-12
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. A book sits on a high shelf. What store holds its energy because of its height?

    • Elastic potential
    • Gravitational potential
    • Nuclear

  2. Tea is heated without boiling or changing state. Which energy store increases as its temperature rises?

    • Thermal
    • Chemical
    • Kinetic

  3. Chemical energy is stored in food and fuel.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. Which pathway carries energy from a wall socket to a toaster?

    • Electrically
    • By radiation
    • Mechanically

  5. A skateboarder is stopped at the top of a ramp, then rolls down and speeds up. What happened to her energy?

    Gravitational potentialKinetic
    • From kinetic energy into a larger chemical energy store
    • From gravitational potential energy into no energy at all
    • From gravitational potential energy into kinetic energy

  6. Radiation is the pathway that lets energy from the Sun reach Earth without any wires or touching.

    Circle one:   True   False

  7. A wind-up toy car is wound with a key, then let go so it zooms across the floor and gradually stops. Which order of stores is correct?

    • Gravitational, then electromagnetic, then chemical
    • Chemical, then nuclear, then kinetic
    • Elastic potential, then kinetic, then thermal

  8. Sam says, 'A torch transfers energy electrically from its battery and warms its lamp. That is the only transfer involved.' What did Sam miss?

    • Nuclear energy fuels the torch without a battery
    • Light carries energy from the lamp by radiation
    • Gravity carries energy from the lamp to the battery
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Energy stores and how energy moves W1-mt_Jvg_r4yWaY-s1

  1. Gravitational potential · Raising the book increases the gravitational potential energy of the book-Earth system.
  2. Thermal · Heating this tea increases its thermal store. The question asks about the change linked to temperature, not every store it may have.
  3. True · Food and fuel have chemical stores. Energy from food is released through respiration, and fuel releases energy when burned.
  4. Electrically · Energy is transferred electrically through the circuit from the supply to the toaster. Electric current is charge flow.
  5. From gravitational potential energy into kinetic energy · As the skateboarder descends, gravitational potential energy decreases and kinetic energy increases. Other stores may be present too.
  6. True · Radiation can travel through empty space, which is how sunlight reaches Earth.
  7. Elastic potential, then kinetic, then thermal · Winding deforms the spring and stores elastic potential energy. The spring drives motion, then friction increases thermal stores as the car slows.
  8. Light carries energy from the lamp by radiation · The lamp also emits light, which carries energy away by radiation.
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