3.1.10

Reducing Energy Transfers

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Reducing Unwanted Energy Transfer

We take steps to reduce the amount of energy wasted.

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Lubrication

  • Lubrication reduces frictional forces.
  • A moving object normally has at least one frictional force acting against it. This causes some energy to be dissipated.
  • Lubricants can reduce the friction between the surfaces of objects that are rubbing together.
  • Lubricants are normally liquids.
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Thermal insulation

  • Heat will be lost through the roof, windows, walls and floor.
  • To reduce the energy transfer, we might:
    • Fit loft insulation (the roof).
    • Use double glazing (windows).
    • Use cavity wall insulation (walls).
    • Fit carpets (floors).
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Walls in homes

  • We can decrease the rate a house cools down by:
    • Having thicker walls.
    • Having walls made from a material with a lower thermal conductivity.
  • The more heat that a material conducts (the higher its thermal conductivity is), the higher the rate of energy transfer by conduction across the material.

Jump to other topics

1Biology

1.1Cells, Tissues & Organs

1.2Reproduction & Variation

1.3Ecological Relationships & Classification

1.4Digestion & Nutrition

1.5Plants & Photosynthesis

1.6Biological Systems & Processes

2Chemistry

2.1Particles

2.2Chemical Reactions

2.3Atoms, Elements, Compounds

2.4The Periodic Table

2.5Materials & the Earth

2.6Reactivity

2.7Energetics

2.8Properties of Materials

3Physics

3.1Energy

3.2Forces & Motion

3.3Waves

3.4Electricity & Magnetism

3.5Matter

3.6Space Physics

4Thinking Scientifically

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