Introduction to Energy

Learning Objectives: After this lesson, you should be able to…

• explain how internal energy is stored in materials as both kinetic energy (and its relation to temperature) and (electrostatic) potential energy, and how these quantities may interconvert
• Identify the “system” and “surroundings” in a given chemical/physical process.
• explain the 1st law of thermodynamics and the energy flow between a system and its surroundings in the form of heat and work
• Assign positive and negative signs to internal energy, heat, and work.

Now that we know the basics, let's go a little deeper. We're starting on a quest to find exactly where those electrons are within an atom. Sure, they are in the electron cloud, but where? Electrons are responsible for all of the chemistry of the elements. After all, electrons can be easily gained or lost (relative to the proton and neutron) and are involved in forming chemical bonds!

Before we get too far in our journey, we need to understand energy. In this lesson, we will look at energy in the form of heat and work and how energy is transferred between a system and surroundings.

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Try it!

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