AQA Physics Energy Revision Notes

• 1Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed (Law of Conservation of Energy).
• 2Kinetic energy is the energy of motion, calculated as KE = 0.5mv².
• 3Potential energy is stored energy based on position or configuration, commonly gravitational potential energy (PE = mgh).
• 4Energy transfers occur in systems, such as mechanical work, heat transfer, and electrical energy.
• 5Efficiency measures how much useful energy is converted from one form to another, calculated as (useful energy output / total energy input) x 100%.

Energy is what makes things happen. It can be in motion, like a moving car (kinetic energy), or stored, like water in a dam (potential energy). Energy can change from one form to another, like when a battery powers a toy. We also measure how well energy is used, called efficiency.