Units / Unit B / Kinetic, Potential, and Chemical Energy

Kinetic, Potential, and Chemical Energy

Evidence for energy; define KE, PE, and chemical potential energy (B-GO2-SO1–SO3).

Full lesson guide (printable)

Outcome checklist

Alberta Program of Studies — tick each row when you can explain it without the slide.

B-GO2-SO1
By the end of this lesson you should be able to: Describe evidence for the presence of energy; i.e., observable physical and chemical changes, and changes in motion, shape or temperature
Self-check: Without looking at your notes, give one example or explanation that shows you meet B-GO2-SO1.
B-GO2-SO2
By the end of this lesson you should be able to: Define kinetic energy as energy due to motion, and define potential energy as energy due to relative position or condition
Self-check: Without looking at your notes, give one example or explanation that shows you meet B-GO2-SO2.
B-GO2-SO3
By the end of this lesson you should be able to: Describe chemical energy as a form of potential energy (e.g., energy stored in glucose, adenosine triphosphate [ATP], gasoline)
Self-check: Without looking at your notes, give one example or explanation that shows you meet B-GO2-SO3.
B-GO2
Big idea: Explain and apply concepts used in theoretical and practical measures of energy in mechanical systems
Self-check: How does today's lesson connect to B-GO2?

Where this shows up later

Unit B — Work and joules: Energy transfers are measured in joules.

Lab and demo watch-outs

Classroom safety
Follow school rules for equipment, goggles, and fire safety even during thought experiments.
Any time hands-on work is suggested.

Slide 1 of 813%

Hook

How do you know energy is there?

You cannot see energy — only its effects.
POS evidence: motion, temperature, shape, chemical change.

Core explanation

We start with a real situation: You cannot see energy — only its effects. POS evidence: motion, temperature, shape, chemical change. Your job is to notice evidence and ask questions before memorizing definitions.

Check your understanding

Can you connect this slide to something we learned earlier today?

Explain moreDeeper teaching notes — read like a tutor explaining the idea

Unit B — Kinetic, Potential, and Chemical Energy: Stored and moving energy trade places in systems you can observe. On this slide («How do you know energy is there?»), the science story is: You cannot see energy — only its effects. POS evidence: motion, temperature, shape, chemical change. Read like a tutor: connect each bullet to evidence or a model, not memorized wording. Alberta Science 10 expects you to explain ideas in class discussions and written work — this slide supports outcomes B-GO2-SO1, B-GO2-SO2.

Worked example(s)Step-by-step reasoning, not just answers

Apply: How do you know energy is there?
1. State the core idea: You cannot see energy — only its effects.
2. Link to a second point: POS evidence: motion, temperature, shape, chemical change.
3. Give one Alberta or daily-life example that fits both ideas.
4. Check your example against the slide — would your teacher agree?
Why this works: Application proves understanding beyond repeating bullets.

Common mistakes to avoid

Repeating the slide without understanding.
Cover the bullets and explain the idea using a new example.

Try it yourself

Teach «How do you know energy is there?» aloud in 60 seconds using two bullets and one vocabulary word from today’s list.