Source of Energy

We use energy every day for many tasks. Energy comes in different forms like heat, light, sound, electricity, and kinetic energy (energy of movement). A source of energy is that which is capable of providing enough useful energy at a steady rate over a long period of time.  Energy cannot be created nor destroyed. It can only be transferred from one form to another.

Main Sources of Energy:

Today, most of the energy we use comes from two main sources:

1. Fuels
2. Electricity

Fuels are materials that we burn to release energy. When we burn fuels, we usually get heat energy. This heat can be used directly, or it can be converted into other forms of energy, like electricity.

Some common types of fuels are:

• Coal: Burnt to produce heat energy and electricity in power plants.
• Petrol and Diesel: Used in cars, buses, and trucks to make them move.
• LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas): Used for cooking at home.
• CNG (Compressed Natural Gas): Used in some vehicles as fuel.
• Wood: Burnt for cooking or heating in some places.

Fuels are very important because they provide the energy needed for many machines to work. However, burning fuels can cause pollution, so scientists are looking for cleaner sources of energy.

Electricity is a very important source of energy in our daily lives. We use electricity for almost everything, such as:

• Lighting up our homes and schools.
• Running appliances like refrigerators, fans, and televisions.
• Powering computers, mobile phones, and other gadgets.

Electricity is a form of energy, but it usually comes from power plants. Many power plants burn fuels like coal, oil, or natural gas to produce electricity. Some also use water (hydroelectric power) or wind (wind energy) to generate electricity.

Working of Power Plants:

Power plants take fuel (like coal or natural gas), burn it to create heat, and use that heat to produce steam. The steam turns a turbine (a big wheel), which helps generate electricity. This electricity then travels through wires to reach our homes, schools, and factories.

Safe and convenient to use. For example, nuclear energy can be used only by highly trained engineers with the help of nuclear power plants. It cannot be used for household purposes.

• Provide a large continuous supply of energy per unit mass or volume.
• Cheap and readily available. It should not pollute the environment.
• It is easy to transport. For example, coal, petrol, diesel, LPG, etc., must be transported from their production places to the consumers.
• Easy to store. For example, huge storage tanks are required to store petrol, diesel, LPG, etc.

Other Sources of Energy:

• Solar energy: Energy from the Sun. Solar panels capture sunlight and turn it into electricity or heat.
• Wind energy: Energy from the wind. Wind turbines spin when the wind blows, generating electricity.
• Water energy: Energy from flowing water. Dams use the power of water to generate electricity (this is called hydroelectric power).