We rely on energy for almost everything we do, but the energy resources we use are not unlimited. It's important to use energy wisely. There are two main approaches to this: energy efficiency and energy conservation. While they sound similar, they mean different things.
Energy conservation means using less energy. It's about changing your habits and behaviors to reduce your overall energy consumption. Conservation is about the choice to use less.
Examples of Energy Conservation:
Energy efficiency means getting the same amount of work done while using less energy. It's not about changing your behavior, but about using better technology that doesn't waste as much energy.
Examples of Energy-Efficient Technologies:
Whenever energy is transformed from one form to another, some of that energy is always 'lost' as a less useful form, usually heat (thermal energy). This is a consequence of the Second Law of Thermodynamics.
Think about an old incandescent light bulb. Its purpose is to create light (radiant energy). However, it gets very hot to the touch. In fact, about 90% of the electrical energy it uses is converted into waste heat, and only 10% is converted into visible light! This makes it very inefficient.
An LED bulb is much more efficient because it converts a much larger percentage of its electrical energy into light and wastes very little as heat. However, even the LED is not 100% efficient; it still produces a small amount of waste heat. No device can ever be 100% efficient at converting energy into useful work.
By combining both energy conservation (good habits) and energy efficiency (good technology), we can significantly reduce our impact on the environment and save money on our energy bills.
Replacing your old, single-pane windows with new, double-pane windows that reduce heat loss is an example of ________.
What form of energy is almost always produced as a 'waste' product during an energy transformation?
Turning off the television when you are finished watching it is an example of energy ________.