Energy is potential to do work, as for example an athlete preparing to beat a world record. We cannot physically observe that energy per se. But, we can see it in action as the athlete performs their task. We reach a similar conclusion when we ask what is this phenomenon called energy in the broader sense. It is all around us, but we cannot touch it.
This Phenomenon Called Energy – What Can It Do?
When we begin to explore what this phenomenon called energy is, we discover it in so many forms, including the power that drives the universe. However, we also encounter energy in more day-to-day applications, such as the following according to U.S. Energy Information Administration:
- We use energy in the form of heat to warm our homes in winter, and to cook our food all year round. We may use various forms of fuel to boil water, but in the end it is the steam that rotates the turbines in conventional power stations.
- Where would we be without the energy form that scientists call light? We once used it to study at night when we were young. Nowadays, we use light from the sun to power our solar power stations, and much more besides.
We are in the business of storing electro-chemical energy in deep-cycle lead-acid batteries, in case you are unsure what our role in energy is. There are several other forms of energy we could have mentioned, including motion and gravitational force for example.
We touched earlier on how one form of energy may give life to another, with a few examples. When we purchase a source of power, it is important to know what the source is. And especially whether it originates from a renewable source, as it should.
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