Energy, work and power

About this lab: Energy, work and power

Interactive simulation for Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 topic 1.7 Energy, work and power: a pendulum and a ball rolling onto rough ground with live bars for the potential, kinetic and thermal stores, a crate pushed along the floor with W = Fd, a car whose kinetic energy quadruples when its speed doubles, a mass lifted and dropped with ΔPE = mgΔh and the landing speed, climbing stairs to measure power P = W/t, Sankey diagrams and efficiencies for six devices, and a guide to the energy resources with their origin, renewability, advantages and drawbacks.

IGCSE Physics 0625, topic 1.7. One tab per lesson: energy stores and transfers, work done, kinetic energy, gravitational potential energy, power, efficiency and energy resources.

Energy, work and power is a free, browser-based simulation for Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 (topic 1 Motion, forces and energy, section 1.7 Energy, work and power). The course is assessed in Papers 1 and 2 (multiple choice), 3 and 4 (theory), 5 (practical test) and 6 (alternative to practical). There are 7 tabs, each a self-contained experiment with its own controls and live readings, and nothing to install: it runs on a laptop, tablet or classroom projector.

Syllabus coverage

• 1.7.1 State that energy may be stored as kinetic, gravitational potential, chemical, elastic (strain), nuclear, electrostatic and internal (thermal)
• 1.7.1 Describe how energy is transferred between stores during events and processes, including examples of transfer by forces (mechanical work done), electrical currents (electrical work done), heating, and by electromagnetic, sound and other waves
• 1.7.1 Know the principle of the conservation of energy and apply this principle to simple examples including the interpretation of simple flow diagrams
• 1.7.2 Understand that mechanical or electrical work done is equal to the energy transferred
• 1.7.2 Recall and use the equation for mechanical working W = Fd = ∆E
• 1.7.3 Describe how useful energy may be obtained, or electrical power generated, from: (a) chemical energy stored in fossil fuels (b) chemical energy stored in biofuels (c) water, including the energy stored in waves, in tides and in water behind hydroelectric dams (d) geothermal resources (e) nuclear fuel (f) light from the Sun to generate electrical power (solar cells) (g) infrared and other electromagnetic waves from the Sun to heat water (solar panels) and be the source of wind energy including references to a boiler, turbine and generator where they are used
• 1.7.3 Describe advantages and disadvantages of each method in terms of renewability, availability, reliability, scale and environmental impact
• 1.7.4 Define power as work done per unit time and also as energy transferred per unit time; recall and use the equations (a) P = W t (b) P = ∆E t
• Lessons on this topic: Energy stores and transfers (conservation of energy), Kinetic energy: KE = ½mv², Gravitational potential energy: ΔPE = mgΔh, Work done: W = Fd, Energy resources: fossil fuels, renewables, nuclear.

Full syllabus map: IGCSE Physics 0625 topic 1.

How to use this simulation

1. 1. Energy stores and transfers.
2. 2. Work done.
3. 3. Kinetic energy.
4. 4. Gravitational potential energy.
5. 5. Power.
6. 6. Efficiency.
7. 7. Energy resources.
8. The buttons at the end of the tab strip give the scene the whole window (Full screen, Hide controls) and, on a dark stage, a projector-friendly palette (Light scene). Many scenes also have drag handles: drag them to change the set-up directly.

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