when a car dives down a street what energy conversion are happing

Physics · College · Mon Jan 18 2021

Answered on

When a car drives down a street, several energy conversions are occurring:

  1. Chemical to Thermal Energy: The car's engine burns fuel (usually gasoline) in the combustion chamber. This chemical energy is converted into thermal energy through the combustion process.
  2. Thermal to Mechanical Energy: The thermal energy produced by burning fuel causes the car's engine to heat up. This thermal energy is then converted into mechanical energy as the engine's pistons move, creating rotational motion.
  3. Mechanical to Kinetic Energy: The mechanical energy generated by the engine is transferred to the car's wheels, resulting in the conversion of mechanical energy into kinetic energy as the car begins to move.
  4. Kinetic to Potential Energy: As the car moves uphill, some of its kinetic energy is converted into potential energy due to the increase in elevation. This potential energy can be converted back to kinetic energy when the car moves downhill.
  5. Kinetic to Thermal Energy (Braking): When the brakes are applied, the kinetic energy of the moving car is converted into thermal energy due to friction between the brake pads and the brake discs. This thermal energy is dissipated into the surrounding air.


Related Questions