How is energy stored in a system?

Energy is stored in a system in various forms such as kinetic, potential, thermal, and chemical energy.

In more detail, energy storage in a system can be understood through different types of energy. Kinetic energy is the energy of motion. For example, a moving car or a flowing river has kinetic energy. The faster an object moves, the more kinetic energy it possesses.

Potential energy, on the other hand, is stored energy based on an object's position or state. Gravitational potential energy is a common type, which depends on an object's height and mass. For instance, a book on a shelf has gravitational potential energy because of its elevated position. When it falls, this energy converts into kinetic energy.

Thermal energy is related to the temperature of a system. It is the total kinetic energy of particles in a substance. When you heat water, the thermal energy increases as the water molecules move faster. This energy can be stored and transferred, for example, in a hot water bottle.

Chemical energy is stored in the bonds of chemical compounds. Batteries are a good example; they store chemical energy that can be converted into electrical energy to power devices. Food also contains chemical energy, which our bodies convert into kinetic and thermal energy to keep us moving and warm.

Elastic potential energy is another form, stored when objects like springs or rubber bands are stretched or compressed. When you stretch a rubber band, it stores energy that is released when it snaps back to its original shape.

Understanding these different forms of energy storage helps us analyse how energy is conserved and transferred in various systems, which is a fundamental concept in physics.