Chemical energy

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/chemical-energy

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the nature of storage?Potential energy stored in the arrangement and bonds of atoms and molecules
2. What is the thermodynamic basis?Governed by changes in internal energy (ΔU) and enthalpy (ΔH) during reactions
3. Why do some molecules have more chemical energy than others?Molecules with weak, unstable bonds can change into stronger bonds, releasing more energy.
4. How does chemical energy help us in everyday life?It powers cars, batteries, and the food we eat, and helps plants grow by turning sunlight into food.

Enthalpy: A thermodynamic property representing the total heat content of a system at constant pressure.
Gibbs Free Energy: A thermodynamic potential that measures the maximum reversible work obtainable from a system at constant temperature and pressure.
Electrochemical Reaction: A chemical reaction involving the transfer of electrons, often used in batteries and fuel cells.
Bond Energy: The amount of energy required to break a specific chemical bond.