Conservation of Energy: Kinetic and Potential Energy

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Everything we do today is as a result of energy. Which we know is the ability to do work. This energy can be transferred in different forms which includes;

• the light in our homes [Electrical]
• the petrol used in cars [Chemical]
• the solar panels used in our houses [Solar Energy]
• the appliances like fans and the likes of them [mechanical]

I can remember walking down my streets on a Sunday morning and noticed a gas cylinder connected to a generator and used as fuel. I was in awe and wondered how it works. I was even expecting an explosion because fuel and gas aren't alike. That still remains a mystery to me. How do we conserve energy at home?

This is away of saving the amount of energy consumed within a definite period. It involves conscious reduction in the overall rate of an individual consumption. It can come in the form of waste elimination, reduction of energy activities or improvement of energy consuming activities. Conservation of energy begins with us.

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• Turn off your water taps when not in use

• Switch off your tv when not in use

• Hang your clothes out to dry

• Use home appliances that are energy efficient

• Turn off lights that are not in use.

Energy conservation on transportation

• Ridding a bicycle or walking where possible

• Buy smaller cars and changing the oil w

Conservation of Energy in industries

Industry is the biggest user of energy.

• Add insulation, turn off lights, streamline the manufacturing process by installing more efficient equipment.

• Burn waste materials as fuel in industry

• Energy can be conserved in manufacturing industries in the following ways....

• Improve house keeping by adjustment of lighting and fixing of leaking stream pipes.

• Recovering of waste and recycling it.

• Technological renovation

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• Sources of Energy: Every naturally occuring material is a potential source of energy. A material is considered a viable energy source if it fulfils the following.

• Availability of the material

• Amount of energy extracted from the unit mass of the material

• Cost of harnessing such material.

Any Energy source can be categorized into renewable and nonrenewable sources.

• Renewable sources are the primary sources of energy and are abundantly available. They do not require exploration and have very long lifespan and are environmentally very clean.

• Nonrenewable sources: are the secondary sources of energy. They have a limited recoverable quantity. It requires several millions of years to replenish. Example is; fossil fuel.

• Fossil fuel: This is the source of energy used to describe all mineral fuels that are formed as a result of deposition millions of years ago of the remains of vegetation and living organisms which were borne under subsequent soil and rock and later subjected to intensive heat and pressure.

In summary, energy can be conserved by us in different ways.