Contents
Key Stage 3
Energy Transfers
Accelerating
- When a car accelerates energy is transferred usefully from the chemical potential energy store of the fuel to the kinetic energy store of the car. However, energy is wasted when it is transferred from the chemical potential energy store of the fuel to the kinetic energy store of the engine.
Decelerating
- When a car decelerates energy is transferred from the kinetic energy store of the car to the thermal energy store of the brakes.
Forces
- When a car accelerates the engine provides a driving force causing a mechanical energy transfer.
- When a car decelerates the brakes provide a force causing a mechanical energy transfer.