Semi-Truck Energy Conversions

1. Semi-Truck Energy Conversions By: Tay White, Andy Brock,Dominique Tucker.

2. So there we were… Riding to New York City in Tay’s semi-truck. We were bored out of our minds from the 12 hour drive when we heard the engine and remembered Mr. Baker’s lecture about the different forms of energy and started relating them to his engine.

3. Potential Energy Tay said that the motor from a semi-truck has a lot of potential energy, because the engine has a lot of components that give the truck the potential to move.

4. Kinetic Energy Andy said that the potential energy converts to kinetic energy when the components in the engine start moving very rapidly as you turn the ignition and the potential energy turns to kinetic energy.

5. Mechanical Energy Dominique said that when Tay makes turns, the kinetic energy and mechanical energy work together by releasing tension in the driveshaft to turn the rear wheels.

6. Chemical Energy Tay says there is chemical energy in the battery of the truck, the chemicals react with each other and release energy to power the truck. This is a form of a Chemical Reaction.

7. Thermal Energy We were well on our way to New York when a big truck pulled out in front of us! Tay slammed on the breaks and the inertia pulled us all forward and Andy noticed some sparks from the break pads. He said it was the product from friction and an example of thermal energy, or heat.

8. Radiant Energy Tay notices and states that many things on the truck that creates light, the battery sends electromagnetic waves all throughout the truck’s wires. One example is when the electromagnetic waves go to the headlights to create radiant energy.

9. Well our journey to New York City was not as boring because of the energy conversions. We had found many examples of potential, kinetic, mechanical, chemical, thermal and radiant energy just in a simple semi-truck. These energies are all around us and are used to do many daily actions.