NCERT Class 10 Science Sources of Energy

In Class IX, we learnt that the total energy during a physical or chemical process is conserved. Why, then, do we hear so much about the energy crisis? If energy can neither be created nor destroyed, we should have no worries! We should be able to perform endless activities without thinking about energy resources!

This riddle can be solved if we recall what else we learnt about energy. Energy comes in different forms and one form can be converted to another. For example, if we drop a plate from a height, the potential energy of the plate is converted mostly to sound energy when it hits the ground. If we light a candle, the process is highly exothermic so that the chemical energy in the wax is converted to heat energy and light energy on burning. What other products are obtained when we burn a candle?
The total energy during a physical or chemical process remains the same but suppose we consider the burning candle again – can we somehow put together the heat and light generated along with the products of the reaction to get back the chemical energy in the form of wax?

Let us consider another example. Suppose we take 100 mL of water which has a temperature of 348 K (75°C) and leave it in a room where the temperature is 298 K (25°C). What will happen? Is there any way of collecting all the heat lost to the environment and making the water hot once it has cooled down?

In any example that we consider, we will see that energy, in the usable form, is dissipated to the surroundings in less usable forms. Hence, any source of energy we use, to do work, is consumed and cannot be used again.

14.1 WHAT IS A GOOD SOURCE OF ENERGY?
What can then be considered a good source of energy? We, in our daily lives, use energy from various sources for doing work. We use diesel to run our trains. We use electricity to light our street-lamps. Or we use energy in our muscles to cycle to school.

Activity 14.1
•  List four forms of energy that you use from morning, when you wake up, till you reach the school.
•  From where do we get these different forms of energy?
• Can we call these ‘sources’ of energy? Why or why not?

Please refer to attached file for NCERT Class 10 Science Sources of Energy