AQA GCSE Physics: Energy Stores and Systems

Understanding energy stores and systems begins with defining a system as a single object or a group of objects and recognizing how energy is stored and transformed in various scenarios. Key types of energy stores include kinetic, gravitational potential, elastic potential, and thermal. Energy transfers occur through heating, mechanical work, and electrical work, changing the way energy is stored within a system. Practical examples of energy transformations include projecting an object upwards (kinetic to gravitational potential), a moving object hitting an obstacle (kinetic transfer and dissipation), and accelerating an object with a constant force (conversion from chemical to kinetic energy in motors). Additionally, students must calculate energy changes using specific formulas for work done by forces, energy transferred by heating, and electrical work. Calculations show how energy is conserved, despite its redistribution in a system. Exam focus: understanding the applications of energy stores, types of energy transfers, and calculating energy changes in various physical contexts. Skills: applying mathematical formulas, interpreting conservation of energy, and recognizing common scenarios of energy transformations in practical physics.