Energy is why things move. My hands touching the keys require energy. Take away energy, and you’ve got a still world. No movement. No heat or light. Just eternal blackness. So, what does this have to do with Rube Goldberg? Well, Rube Goldberg machines have tons of movement in them. And all of that movement has to be triggered by energy of some sort our another. So, what types of energy are there?
Types of Energy:
Kinetic Energy – The energy of moving objects. When a rock falls down a hill, the rock has kinetic energy. When a book falls of a shelf it has kinetic energy. Without kinetic energy, nothing would move.
Potential Energy – This energy represents the potential an object has for movement. If a rock was still on a hill, it would have potential energy.
Solar Energy – This type of energy comes from the sun. It is often converted to electrical energy (via solar panels).
Electrical Energy – This energy is the energy of electrons moving. Almost every modern device is powered by electricity. Your brain works because of electrical energy.
Mechanical Energy – This is the energy you create with your muscles. Mechanical energy can be controlled by your brain.
Light Energy – This energy is registered by our eyes. Without it, we could see nothing.
Heat Energy – This energy determines the temperature of an object.
And the list would go on and on. But the energies on the list are the ones that come of in everyday life. And also, Rube Goldberg machines. So, why don’t you see if you could identify some energy types in your Rube Goldberg!