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Energy chains: energy use

Energy chains: energy use

TLF ID L2357

Select energy sources and energy converters to build energy chains to power appliances and vehicles. Examine how each energy converter in a chain loses some energy and reduces the energy available for use. For example, show that using a solar panel and an electric motor to drive a car delivers only 16% of the original energy in the sunlight. This learning object is one in a series of five learning objects that progressively increase in complexity.

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Educational details

Educational value
  • Describes the function of a variety of energy converters.
  • Requires students to place energy converters into logical sequences so that the energy of different sources is used to operate a radio or propel vehicles.
  • Uses a meter to show the percentage of original energy remaining after each stage of the chain.
  • Provides feedback about the feasibility of energy chains.
  • Asks students to review the energy chains constructed.
  • Includes options to save and print the energy chains constructed.
Year level

5; 6; 7; 8

Topics Electric currents Renewable energy Potential energy Electric circuits Cooperation Electrical conductivity Energy conversion Natural resources Evidence Scientific inquiry Observations (Data) Kinetic energy Electricity Paradigms Interdisciplinary research
Learning area
  • Science

Other details

Contributors
  • Contributor
  • Name: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Organization: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Description: Technical implementer
  • Address: VIC, AUSTRALIA
  • URL: http://www.esa.edu.au/
  • Name: Education Services Australia
  • Organization: Education Services Australia
  • Description: Data manager
  • Person: Erica Dale
  • Description: Script writer
  • Person: Denis Goodrum
  • Description: Educational validator
  • Person: Graham Coghill
  • Description: Subject matter expert
  • Copyright Holder
  • Name: Education Services Australia
  • Organization: Education Services Australia
  • Address: AUSTRALIA
  • Publisher
  • Name: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Organization: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Description: Publisher
  • Address: VIC, AUSTRALIA
  • URL: http://www.esa.edu.au/
  • Resource metadata contributed by
  • Name: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Organisation: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Address: AUSTRALIA
  • URL: www.esa.edu.au
Access profile
  • Colour independence
  • Device independence
  • Hearing independence
  • Generic
Learning Resource Type
  • Interactive
Rights
  • © Education Services Australia Ltd, 2016, except where indicated under Acknowledgements. Unless otherwise indicated, this material may be used in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.