4.2.1
Energy Wastage
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Wasted Energy
When one store of energy is transferred to another, some energy is wasted (transferred into unwanted stores of energy). This dissipates (spreads out) to anything nearby.

Car engines - noise and heat
- Car engines make a lot of noise and get hot when they are being used to move you about.
- The useful energy store here is the kinetic store because you want the car to move you from one place to another.
- The heat and sound energy are wasted energy because they are of no use to you.

Wires - heat
- When wires are used in an electrical circuit, they heat up.
- This is often not useful energy and so it is wasted.

Friction - heat
- In almost every energy transfer, friction creates heat energy and this energy is often wasted.
1Forces & Motion
1.1Basics of Motion
1.1.1Average Speed1.1.2Acceleration1.1.3Distance & Displacement1.1.4Velocity1.1.5Adding Vectors1.1.6Distance-Time Graphs1.1.7Speed-Time Graphs 11.1.8Speed-Time Graphs 21.1.9Initial & Final Speed, Acceleration, Distance1.1.10Average Speed - Calculations1.1.11Acceleration - Calculations1.1.12Uniform Acceleration - Calculations1.1.13Grade 9 - Motion1.1.14Exam-Style Questions - Graphs of Motion
1.2Forces
1.3Effects of Forces
1.3.1Momentum - No Impulse1.3.2Momentum1.3.3Momentum: Law of Conservation1.3.4Force & Momentum Change1.3.5Momentum - Safety1.3.6Change in Momentum - Calculations1.3.7Momentum - Calculations1.3.8Mass1.3.9Weight1.3.10Centre of Mass1.3.11Gravity - Calculations1.3.12Free Fall1.3.13Air Resistance & Friction1.3.14Graphs of Motion with Air Resistance1.3.15Turning Effect1.3.16Moments1.3.17Equilibrium1.3.18Moments - Calculations1.3.19Exam-Style Questions - Moments
1.4Stopping Distance
1.5Forces & Elasticity
1.5.1Stretching, Bending & Compressing1.5.2Elastic Deformation vs Inelastic Deformation1.5.3Hooke's Law1.5.4Hooke's Law - Equation1.5.5Hooke's Law - Spring Experiments1.5.6Hooke's Law - Calculations1.5.7Elastic Potential - Calculations1.5.8End of Topic Test - Forces1.5.9Exam-Style Questions - Elastic Potential
2Electricity
2.1Electricity in Homes
2.2Current & Potential Difference
2.3Resistance & Power
2.4Electric Circuits
2.4.1Circuit Diagrams2.4.2Circuit Symbols2.4.3Diodes2.4.4LDRs & Thermistors2.4.5Series Circuits2.4.6Resistors in Series2.4.7Series Circuits - Calculations2.4.8Parallel Circuits2.4.9Parallel Circuits in Practice2.4.10End of Topic Test - Electricity2.4.11Grade 9 - Circuits2.4.12Exam-Style Questions - Electrical Circuits
3Waves
3.1Wave Basics
3.2Waves at a Boundary
3.3Electromagnetic Spectrum
3.4Sound Waves
3.5Communications
4Energy Resources & Energy Transfers
4.1Energy Changes
4.1.1Energy Stores4.1.2Conservation of Energy4.1.3Examples of Energy Conversion4.1.4Kinetic Energy Stored4.1.5Gravitational Potential Energy Stored4.1.6Elastic Potential Energy Stored4.1.7Changes in Kinetic Energy - Calculations4.1.8Changes in GPE - Calculations4.1.9Changes in EPE - Calculations4.1.10Mechanical Work Done4.1.11Mechanical Work Done - Equation4.1.12Power4.1.13Mechanical Work - Calculations4.1.14Electrical Work Done- Calculations
4.2Energy Losses & Efficiency
4.3Energy Resources
5Solids, Liquids & Gases
5.1Density & Pressure
5.2Changing State
6Magnetism & Electromagnetism
6.1Magnetism
6.2Electromagnetism
6.3Electromagnetic Induction
6.4Transformers
6.4.1Transformers6.4.2Transformer Equation6.4.3Step-Up & Step-Down Transformers6.4.4Principles of Transformer Operation6.4.5High-Voltage Transmission & Transformers6.4.6Transformers - Calculations6.4.7Transformers 2 - Calculations6.4.8Energy in Transformers6.4.9Power Losses in Cables6.4.10End of Topic Test - Magnetism6.4.11Grade 9 - Transformers6.4.12Exam-Style Questions - Transformers
7Radioactivity & Particles
7.1Atoms
7.2Radioactivity
7.2.1Radioactive Decay7.2.2Types of Radiation7.2.3Three Types of Emission7.2.4Ionising vs Penetration7.2.5Nuclear Fission7.2.6Nuclear Reactors7.2.7Nuclear Fission - Uncontrolled Chain Reaction7.2.8Radioactive Decay7.2.9Decay Equations7.2.10Nuclear Fission Equation7.2.11Half Life & Background Radiation7.2.12Measuring Half-Life From a Graph7.2.13Background Radiation7.2.14Practical Applications of Radiation7.2.15Ions & Ionising Radiation7.2.16Safety Precautions7.2.17Peer Review7.2.18End of Topic Test - Radioactivity & Particles7.2.19Grade 9 - Radioactivity & Particles7.2.20Exam-Style Questions - Radioactive Decay
8Astrophysics
8.1Motion in the Universe
8.2Evolution of Stars
Jump to other topics
1Forces & Motion
1.1Basics of Motion
1.1.1Average Speed1.1.2Acceleration1.1.3Distance & Displacement1.1.4Velocity1.1.5Adding Vectors1.1.6Distance-Time Graphs1.1.7Speed-Time Graphs 11.1.8Speed-Time Graphs 21.1.9Initial & Final Speed, Acceleration, Distance1.1.10Average Speed - Calculations1.1.11Acceleration - Calculations1.1.12Uniform Acceleration - Calculations1.1.13Grade 9 - Motion1.1.14Exam-Style Questions - Graphs of Motion
1.2Forces
1.3Effects of Forces
1.3.1Momentum - No Impulse1.3.2Momentum1.3.3Momentum: Law of Conservation1.3.4Force & Momentum Change1.3.5Momentum - Safety1.3.6Change in Momentum - Calculations1.3.7Momentum - Calculations1.3.8Mass1.3.9Weight1.3.10Centre of Mass1.3.11Gravity - Calculations1.3.12Free Fall1.3.13Air Resistance & Friction1.3.14Graphs of Motion with Air Resistance1.3.15Turning Effect1.3.16Moments1.3.17Equilibrium1.3.18Moments - Calculations1.3.19Exam-Style Questions - Moments
1.4Stopping Distance
1.5Forces & Elasticity
1.5.1Stretching, Bending & Compressing1.5.2Elastic Deformation vs Inelastic Deformation1.5.3Hooke's Law1.5.4Hooke's Law - Equation1.5.5Hooke's Law - Spring Experiments1.5.6Hooke's Law - Calculations1.5.7Elastic Potential - Calculations1.5.8End of Topic Test - Forces1.5.9Exam-Style Questions - Elastic Potential
2Electricity
2.1Electricity in Homes
2.2Current & Potential Difference
2.3Resistance & Power
2.4Electric Circuits
2.4.1Circuit Diagrams2.4.2Circuit Symbols2.4.3Diodes2.4.4LDRs & Thermistors2.4.5Series Circuits2.4.6Resistors in Series2.4.7Series Circuits - Calculations2.4.8Parallel Circuits2.4.9Parallel Circuits in Practice2.4.10End of Topic Test - Electricity2.4.11Grade 9 - Circuits2.4.12Exam-Style Questions - Electrical Circuits
3Waves
3.1Wave Basics
3.2Waves at a Boundary
3.3Electromagnetic Spectrum
3.4Sound Waves
3.5Communications
4Energy Resources & Energy Transfers
4.1Energy Changes
4.1.1Energy Stores4.1.2Conservation of Energy4.1.3Examples of Energy Conversion4.1.4Kinetic Energy Stored4.1.5Gravitational Potential Energy Stored4.1.6Elastic Potential Energy Stored4.1.7Changes in Kinetic Energy - Calculations4.1.8Changes in GPE - Calculations4.1.9Changes in EPE - Calculations4.1.10Mechanical Work Done4.1.11Mechanical Work Done - Equation4.1.12Power4.1.13Mechanical Work - Calculations4.1.14Electrical Work Done- Calculations
4.2Energy Losses & Efficiency
4.3Energy Resources
5Solids, Liquids & Gases
5.1Density & Pressure
5.2Changing State
6Magnetism & Electromagnetism
6.1Magnetism
6.2Electromagnetism
6.3Electromagnetic Induction
6.4Transformers
6.4.1Transformers6.4.2Transformer Equation6.4.3Step-Up & Step-Down Transformers6.4.4Principles of Transformer Operation6.4.5High-Voltage Transmission & Transformers6.4.6Transformers - Calculations6.4.7Transformers 2 - Calculations6.4.8Energy in Transformers6.4.9Power Losses in Cables6.4.10End of Topic Test - Magnetism6.4.11Grade 9 - Transformers6.4.12Exam-Style Questions - Transformers
7Radioactivity & Particles
7.1Atoms
7.2Radioactivity
7.2.1Radioactive Decay7.2.2Types of Radiation7.2.3Three Types of Emission7.2.4Ionising vs Penetration7.2.5Nuclear Fission7.2.6Nuclear Reactors7.2.7Nuclear Fission - Uncontrolled Chain Reaction7.2.8Radioactive Decay7.2.9Decay Equations7.2.10Nuclear Fission Equation7.2.11Half Life & Background Radiation7.2.12Measuring Half-Life From a Graph7.2.13Background Radiation7.2.14Practical Applications of Radiation7.2.15Ions & Ionising Radiation7.2.16Safety Precautions7.2.17Peer Review7.2.18End of Topic Test - Radioactivity & Particles7.2.19Grade 9 - Radioactivity & Particles7.2.20Exam-Style Questions - Radioactive Decay
8Astrophysics
8.1Motion in the Universe
8.2Evolution of Stars
Practice questions on Energy Wastage
Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.
- 1Which of these is an example of useful energy?Multiple choice
- 2Which of these are examples of wasted energy?True / false
- 3
- 4
- 5
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