If something changes, there is energy there.

A plant grows, the gas in a cigarette lighter burns, the air moves the wind turbines, the sun heats up the sea, etc. etc...  Energy is involved in all of these processes. A fundamental property of energy is that it is transmitted from some bodies to others without anything being lost: energy is neither created nor destroyed, it is transformed!


The picture shows some transformations of energy. The energy from the sun passes to plants, to oil, to coal, to animals and to human beings; they take advantage of it by using the energy from oil, animals, coal, etc.

La energía por todos lados

Look at the picture and make some approximate calculations:

1. How long do you think it has taken solar energy to be transformed into oil?
2. What do we use the energy contained in oil for?
3. How long do you think it will take for the energy contained in the oil deposits to run out?

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