Science · Physical Science

Forms of Energy

Reading comprehension passage and printable worksheet about the different forms of energy — kinetic, potential, thermal, electrical, light, and sound — for grades 4–7.

Reading Passage

Forms of Energy

Energy is the ability to do work or cause change. Everything that moves, grows, lights up, makes noise, or produces heat requires energy. Energy comes in many different forms, and it can change from one form to another. Understanding the different forms of energy helps us understand how the natural world works and how we use energy in our daily lives.

Kinetic energy is the energy of motion. Any object that is moving has kinetic energy. A rolling ball, a running cheetah, and a flowing river all have kinetic energy. The faster an object moves and the more mass it has, the more kinetic energy it has. When a moving car stops, its kinetic energy is converted into thermal energy (heat) through friction in the brakes.

Potential energy is stored energy — energy that has the potential to do work. A rock sitting at the top of a hill has gravitational potential energy. When the rock rolls down, that potential energy converts to kinetic energy. A stretched rubber band has elastic potential energy. Chemical potential energy is stored in the bonds between atoms in substances like food and fuel.

Thermal energy, or heat energy, is the total kinetic energy of all the particles in a substance. The faster the particles move, the higher the thermal energy and the higher the temperature. Thermal energy flows from warmer objects to cooler objects. This flow of heat is how ovens cook food, how the sun warms Earth, and how your body stays warm.

Light energy, also called radiant energy, travels in waves and can move through empty space. The sun is the most important source of light energy on Earth. Electrical energy is the energy of moving electric charges and powers our homes, schools, and devices. Sound energy is produced when objects vibrate and create waves that travel through matter. Energy can be converted from one form to another — a light bulb converts electrical energy to light and heat, and a microphone converts sound to electrical energy.

Printable Worksheet

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