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Energy

What is energy?

It is the ability to do work.

Have you ever wondered what makes all living things grow?

What makes you able to run and jump about? You’re probably thinking it’s the food we eat. You’re partly right. Food is important but how does food help you do that? The food we eat is converted into Energy to help us move our muscles. We need Energy for any kind of activity. In fact we need energy for everything we do. Without energy, your cars cannot move, the lights cannot go on in our homes, our bodies cannot grow. Energy can be seen in many forms: light, heat, electricity, sound and movement.
Where does energy come from?

We saw that energy is everywhere around us, but we cannot use it the way it is found. We need to change its form to make it work. For instance, the food we eat is energy, but it doesn’t help us move by itself. Our bodies change the food we eat into energy. In the same way, petrol, and other sources of energy are like the food we eat. It needs to be changed in form to help things move.
How does energy show itself?
Energy is either potential (stored) or kinetic (moving).

Examples:
- The food we eat contains stored energy, but when food releases energy to help us move, it becomes kinetic energy.
- Coal and wood used to burn are sources of potential energy. When they help heat, cook or even move machines, they release kinetic energy
How is energy measured?

Energy is measured in joules (J).

The work done, or energy used is called Power.

Power is measured in watts (W). A watt is the use of one joule of energy for one second. Check out any light bulb at home.

Chances are you will spot a W sign on it.
What are the various forms of energy?

Have you wondered how much energy is used to bring you food which gives you the energy?

Food is brought from farms in your city or other cities in your country or other countries. It is shipped by land, air or sea. Trucks, airplanes and ships use up a lot of fuel like petrol. When foods like cheese are processed, it is done so in a machine which uses electricity, which is another form of energy.
How is our food brought to us?

Have you wondered how much energy is used to bring you food which gives you the energy? Food is brought from farms in your city or other cities in your country or other countries. It is shipped by land, air or sea. Trucks, airplanes and ships use up a lot of fuel like petrol. When foods like cheese are processed, it is done so in a machine which uses electricity, which is another form of energy.
What is wrong with using energy if we have plenty?

The trouble is all forms of energy are not going to be available all the time. Some of them, especially those that cannot be used again and again, like petrol and coal, are dug from the earth and will not last forever. They are known as ‘fossil fuels’. Most of the fuel we use to run our transport, the energy we use to light our homes and schools and offices and the energy we use to produce all the things we need in our lives comes from petrol and oil. If we do not take care and limit our use of these fuels, we will not have any left for the future.
Also, when we burn a lot of petrol and coal, we pollute the air around us. We are already experiencing warmer temperatures and seasons are changing with no pattern. Floods and droughts have become common. Global warming is happening as a result of our excessive use of these fossil fuels.
Can we do anything to stop this from happening?

Certainly! We need to save energy wherever possible, instead of wasting it irresponsibly. We can make big changes by doing little things.

	EIA Energy
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	UNEP Ozone Action
	World Wild Life
	Breathing earth
	CITES
	World Wild Life
	UAE interact
	Clean Air Kids
	Tiki the Penguin
	Just for Kids
	Kids Recycling Zone
	Water Footprint
	Save Water
	Kid Zone
	Eco Friendly Kids
	Kids F.A.C.E
	EPA Environmental Kids Club