Natural Science

Stored Energy in fuels & Energy and

Electricity
grade 5 -Term 3

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 Wax
Wax in a candle is burnt to provide light. There is stored energy in the
wax and burning it, changes the stored energy into light.

Paraffin
Paraffin is also a fuel that contains stored energy. Paraffin can be burnt in a paraffin
lamp or stove to provide us with useful energy in the form of light and heat.

Food is fuel for the body

To live, people need energy. We get our energy from the food that we eat. Food contains
stored energy that our bodies can change into useful energy that we need to run, jump,
breathe, learn and for everything else we do.
The energy value of food is often shown on the packaging of foods that we buy. The
energy of food is measured in calories and kilojoules of energy.

Look at the picture on the right,

it shows the nutritional value inside a packet of mielie meal.
The first line tells us that 100g of mielie meal will give your
body 1368 kJ of energy.

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 Stored Energy in fuels: Fuels

1. What are fuels?

A fuel is something that stores energy. Some fuels can be burnt for heat and light.
Wood is often collected and burnt to give us heat and light. On a cold evening it is great
to sit around a fire to keep warm and tell friends a few stories.
There are three main categories that we use to investigate fuel such as:

Wood
Wood comes from plants, more likely trees. When plants grow, they use light energy
from the sun as well as water and carbon dioxide to grow. Plants then take this energy
and store it in their leaves. Wood then also contains this stored energy. By burning wood,
we are able to change the stored energy into heat and light energy which is then useful
to us.

Coal
Coal is a fossil fuel that is used to provide heat when burnt. We can use the heat to cook
food or to warm our houses. Fossil fuels like coal were made from prehistoric plants.
These plants got their energy from the Sun and stored it in their leaves. Millions of years
ago the Earth was completely covered by water. Many plants died and sank to the
bottom. Over millions of years the plants were covered by layers of sand. They were
compacted by the weighted of the sand. This meant that the plant material was pushed
deeper and deeper underground. After many millions of years of being compacted the
plant matter then turned into fossil fuels. Fossil fuels get their name “fossil” because they
are made from plants and animals that were alive long time ago. Other types of fossil
fuels are oil and natural gas

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Some fuels are energy sources for engines
and power
Fuels can also be used to give us other forms of useful energy.
Petrol and diesel are used in cars and trucks in order for them to be able to
go. The stored energy in the fuel is changed into movement energy of
the car or truck.

Petrol and diesel are made from fossil fuels

Sun

Plants and animals Fossil fuels Petrol and diesel Movement energy of car

Energy from the Sun is stored in plants and animals which eat the plants. Their remains
over millions of years are then turned into fossil fuels. These fossil fuels are mined and
used to make petrol and diesel. We use petrol and diesel to power our cars.
Coal isn`t only burnt in our homes for keeping us warm or cooking, it is burnt in massive
quantities to make electricity in power stations.

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 Burning fuels
We have now learnt that burning fuels provides us with energy that we can use.
So what does a fuel need oxygen to burn?

Burning a fuel requires energy to start burning. A fuel needs oxygen to burn.
Fuel usually gets oxygen from the air around it. There are other gases present in the air
as well but they don`t burn. When something burns we say it is combusting. When we
take something away we say we deprive it.
For combustion to be possible a heat source, fuel and oxygen are needed. Without one
of the three, combustion will not happen. We call this the combustion triangle.

OX
EL
FU

YG
EN

HEAT

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 Fire safety tips
Never play with matches and
lighters. Make sure that lighters and
matches are stored out of reach of
young children.

Do not pour any fuel such as petrol or

lighter gel onto a burning fire.

Ensure all candles are sturdy and not

near anything that might catch fire.
eg. curtains

Do not dry clothes over a heater or

cooker.

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 Never leave pots on a stove
unattended while cooking.

Always make sure you extinguish an

outdoor fire when going inside.

Place fireguards in front of fire

places

If you think your gas cylinder is

leaking, call a gas supplier
immediately.

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 What to do when
there is a fire

If you in a building where a fire breaks out, remember to always remain calm.

If you can see smoke, stay low to the ground because the gases in a fire are poisonous
and can harm people more than the actual flames.

Keep low to breathe in less smoke and crawl away from the fire to safety.

Ensure you get out the building as quick as you can, then call the fire department.

Activity: Dangerous situations involving fire

Instructions:
Below are four different scenes.
Each scene is potentially dangerous when it involves fire.
Write a description next to each picture explaining why it is dangerous.

Situation Why is it dangerous?

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 Activity: Candle burns
down home
An Eastern Cape Family woke up to find their home was
on fire. Their youngest daughter had taken a small
candle to her bedroom during loadshedding and
placed it next to her bed. She had fallen a sleep.
The wind must have picked up during the night,
which caused the curtain to blow against the candle.
The candle is believed to have been the reason for the fire.
The family was woken up by the smoke smell and the heat in the house.

Use the extract above and answer the following questions:

1. List the cause of the fire.

________________________________________________________________________
2. Suggest ways in which the fire could have been prevented.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. Brain storm at least 3 causes of fires you have previously learnt about.

4. Report back to the class with your answers.

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 Revision activity
1. List three types of fuel that you use in your community.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

2. What is needed in order for combustion to take place?

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

3. Your mom is cooking with oil on the stove. The oil catches alight.
. Mention one way to put out the fire and explain why it will be effective.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

4. Your domestic worker leaves the iron on and it is next to a window with a curtain
. blowing in the wind. Explain to her why it is dangerous to do what she is doing and .
. give suggestions on what she should rather do.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

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 Energy and Electricity
Cells and Batteries
Batteries come in many sizes and shapes and are needed more many different
purposes. A battery is made of one or more electrochemical cell. This means that
the electrochemical cell changes the energy in chemicals into electricity. Batteries
are useful as they store chemical energy. When batteries are connected in an
electrical appliance and the appliance is turned on, the stored energy in the battery
is changed into electrical energy which is then used to make the appliance work.
Eg. cellphones, torches or calculators need batteries to work.

Two ends of a cell are different. One end is called the positive and the other is
called the negative.

Positive end

When all the energy stored in a cell is used up by the

appliance, the appliance wont work. We say that the
battery or cell is "flat" or "dead".
Certain battery types can be reused by recharging
them.
Example:
Plugging a charger into a phone that is plugged into
mains electricity recharges the phones battery. The
energy from the electricity is transferred via the
charger and stored in the chemicals of the cell.
Batteries that can be recharged are called
rechargeable batteries.

Negative end

Disposing of old batteries safely

Harmful chemicals can leak out of old batteries and can pollute soil and water. This
is dangerous for our health. Never throw batteries into a fire as they can explode.
Batteries should be kept separate and disposed at a recycling center or shop that
stores dangerous waste.

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 Activity
Write down the answers to the following questions:
1 .What type of appliances have you used that use batteries?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using an appliance that uses a
. battery instead of mains electricity.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

3. If a torch did not work, what would you check to help identify the problem?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

4. What are three things we can do to reduce the number of old batteries that .
. have to be disposed safely?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

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 Electrical energy is transferred in a
circuit
The parts of the torch that carry electricity are joined together in a loop that begins
and ends at the battery. This type of system is called an electrical circuit.
All electrical appliances have circuits that take electrical energy from the source of
energy such as the mains electricity or the battery to where it is needed and then
back to the source. If part of the electrical circuit is broken, the appliance will not
work.

1.
When we push the switch on, the metal wires touch each other.
The circuit becomes complete.

2.
The electrical energy goes from the batteries, through the wires to the light bulb.

The parts of the circuit are as follows: light bulb, switch, connecting wire and
batteries.

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 Activity:
Look at the diagram of the torch above. Use the diagram to answer the questions.

a. What provides the input energy in the torch?

________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

b. Which part of the torch provides the output energy in the torch?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

c. Which part of the torch controls the input and output energy in the torch?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

d. Explain how it does this.

________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

e. What do we use to join the three parts of the system together so electrical
current can flow?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

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 Activity: Making an electrical circuit
You need: a bulb, a torch battery and two connecting wires.

1. Make an electrical circuit. Use the above materials shown in the pictures.
a. What happened to the bulb?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
b. If the circuit you created didn`t work. Explain what went wrong.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
2. Draw a diagram to represent your electrical circuit you created. Include arrows to
show the flow of electricity in the circuit.

3. What would happen if you connected both wires to the same end of the battery?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
4. What other materials are able to transfer electricity from one part of circuit to
another?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
5. What would happen if you break the circuit by taking one of the wires away?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
6. What could you add to the circuit to make the bulb shine brighter?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
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 Mains electricity
The national grid
Many electrical appliances that we use in our homes use mains electricity mains
electricity as a source of energy.
We get mains electricity from a very big electrical circuit, called the national grid.
A system of wires and cables takes the electricity from a power station to people`s
homes, workplaces and schools.

As the electricity goes through the system, some of the electrical energy changes
into heat as it travels along the cables. Electrical appliances also change some of
the electricity into other types of energy.

Parts of a mains electrical system:

1. Power station
Mains electricity comes from a power station. A power station needs an energy
source. Coal is a source of energy for most of South Africa`s power stations.

Pylons and transmission lines

Transmission lines are thick metal cables through which electricity goes from a
power station to substations. There are big towers called electricity pylons, are
used to support the transmission lines.

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 Substations
A substation is a place where the electricity`s strength is changed. At the substation
near the power station, the electricity is made stronger so that it can travel long
distances through transmission lines. At other substations it is made weaker so that it is
safe to use in homes or other places.

Places where the electricity is needed

From the substation, underground cables or overhead wires take the electricity to
peoples homes, workplaces or schools.

National grid

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 How does mains electricity get to the
appliance we use?
if a building is connected to mains electricity it has an electrical box. This is where the
wires from the substation are connected to the electrical circuits in a building. Inside
the box there is also a meter that records the amount of electricity that is being used.
The box also requires a special switch called a trip switch, this is used for safety.

The electrical wires in a building are usually inside the walls or ceiling of building.
The wires are connected to the lights, switches and wall sockets. When we turn on the
appliance the electricity goes from the wire in the wall to the appliance.

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 A power station needs a source of energy
A power station changes energy of a source into electrical energy. Different types of
power stations use different sources of energy. Some power stations use energy
stored in fuel like coal. Other power stations use the energy from falling water or the
energy from wind. Some countries even use the heat from the Sun to power things.

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 Inside a coal-burning power station
1. Coal burns and heats water in the pipes of a boiler.
2. The heat changes water into steam.
3. The steam turns a turbine. A turbine is a rod that turns with blades that spin
around.
4. The moving turbine turns a generator. The generator changes the movement
energy from the turbine into electricity.
5. The electricity goes into the transmission lines. These connect the power station
with the places where the electricity is used.

3
4
5
2

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 Activity
Draw a diagram of a coal burning power station.
1. Draw a flow diagram to show what happens in a coal-burning power station. Show
the main parts of the system and the type of energy that goes in and out of each
part. Add arrows to show the transfer of energy.

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 Safety with electricity
Electricity is dangerous. If electrical wires and appliances are damaged or not
connected properly, they can cause fires. They can also give people electric shocks. If
a lot of electricity goes through some ones body it can result in death.

There are three important things to note about electricity:

1. Transmission lines and wires in substations carry large amounts of electricity.
2. Electricity cannot flow through rubber or plastic.
3. Electricity can flow through water, metal and a persons body very easily.

How to use electricity safely

Plugs and wall sockets
1. Don`t plug too many appliances into one
socket. It can overload the system causing fires.

2. Always ensure you switch off plugs before

removing them from the wall socket.

3. When taking a plug out of the wall, never pull

on the wires or touch the metal pins.

4. If a wall socket is not being used, always

ensure that the switch is in the "off" position.

5. Do not put your fingers or other objects into

the holes of a wall socket. Electrical cords
1. Electrical cords are made with a thick plastic that covers
the metal wires, carries electricity. Make sure there are no
wires sticking out.

2. Do not use cords that are damaged, ensure they are

repaired by an adult.

3. Keep cords away from stoves, heaters, fire places as the

heat can damage the plastic coatings.

4. Do not place electrical cords under carpets as the friction

can cause fires.

5. Do not repair broken cords or join cords with tape.

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Water and electricity

1. Never use an electrical appliance near water.

2. Never touch electrical appliances with wet hands.

3. Unplug an iron or kettle before filling them with water.

4. Never use water to put out an electrical fire. Use sand

or a dry chemical fire extinguisher.

Electricity outside the home

1. Stay away from electrical substations.

2. Do not touch or go near transmission lines, even if they are laying on the ground.

3. Do not make fires or play under powerlines.

4. Do not carrying or transport long objects underneath power lines.

5. Never climb up electrical pylons.

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 Activity: Electricity awareness
Make a poster about the safe use of electricity

Create a poster to show other people how to use electricity safely.

You will need to decide who the poster will be for and where it will be displayed.
Include pictures, words and information that will be useful to your audience you have
chosen.

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 Topic revision
1. Write down a word that describes each of the statements below.
[plug; electrical circuit; turbine; coal; battery]

a. A system that provides a pathway for the transfer of electricity.

_______________________________
b. Something that is made of one or more electrochemical cells and can change the
energy in chemicals into electricity.

_______________________________

c. A part of an electrical appliance that is able to plug into the wall socket.

_______________________________

2.Draw a simple circuit diagram that uses a battery as a source of energy. Label each
part of the system.

3. Fill in the missing words to complete the statements.

[electrical; stored; bulb; light; heat]

Energy for a torch is __________________ in a battery. When the torch is on, the energy
in the battery is changed into _______________ energy.

4. What is the main source of energy in South African power stations?

____________________________________

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5. What other sources of energy can be used to fuel power stations?

_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

6. Why do you think it is so important to use electricity safely?

_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

7. List 5 ways in which you can use electricity safely.

_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

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 Energy and Movement
Elastics and springs
We can use elastic bands and springs to move
things. In order for things to move we either have
to twist or stretch it. When we stretch an elastic
band, we store energy in it. This is when the band is
stretched it can do work when you release it. A
spring is able to make things move but we first have
to compress the spring. This means we need to
push the coils of the spring together.

Storing energy
Something is only able to do work when it has energy.

The energy in food is a form of stored energy. Our

bodies will use it when we need to move, run, walk or
when we need to be kept warm.

Batteries are stores of energy. If the switch on a torch is

off, the bulb won`t burn. When the switch is on, the bulb
will burn and shine bright because the chemicals in the
store of energy, produce chemical energy.

When stretching or twisting an elastic band, we say that

you are "loading" the elastic with energy. This store of
energy can be used to make something work. If we want
to add more energy. to the elastic we can stretch it
more but there is a limit. Eventually the elastic will not
stretch anymore
A hand-held catapult
A hand-held catapult is a good example of how we can
store energy. A catapult has a Y-shaped frame, two strips
of rubber and a pocket to store a pellet or a stone. The
rubber that is used is very elastic and stretchy. When we
load the catapult with stored energy, we have to tighten
the rubber strips. We do this by gripping the pocket with
the stone tightly and then pulling the pocket attached to
the strips back. When you let the pocket go, the rubber
springs back and the stone is fired. The rubber strips then
go back to their original form.
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Releasing the elastic or spring
When the elastic has been loaded with stored energy and the elastic is released, the
stored energy turns into movement energy. When released, a twisted elastic on a toy
aeroplane will turn the propeller. The propeller will turn in the same way that the
rubber strips on a catapult will fire the stone when they are released. As the stored
energy in the elastic band turns into movement energy, the elastic changes back to its
original, untwisted shape.

The old fashioned toy called a jack-in-the-box is a spring toy with a clown head. When
closing the box, you compress the spring. This gives the spring stored energy. When
the box is opened, the spring is released and we get movement energy. The spring
goes back to its original shape, pushing the clown up and surprising the person who
opens it.

Here are a few examples of things in everyday life where stored energy in a spring is
used:

Springs like these are used in mattresses

A spring is used to make a motorbike
or furniture to make them more
more comfortable
comfortable

Pogo sticks are used for children to Mouse traps have powerful springs to
bounce on trap unwanted mice
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 Topic Revision
a. Match each word in column A with the correct meaning in column B.

1. Stored energy A. A material that returns to its original shape

after being stretched.

2. Energy
B. To squeeze or push together.

3. Compress
C. The energy found in a compressed spring.

4. Movement energy D. What all machines need to work.

5. Elastic E. The energy found in a moving object.

b. Chose the correct word in the brackets.

1. An elastic will return to its original shape (slowly/quickly).
2. A stretched elastic has (a lot/ no) stored energy.
3. The more you pull back the rubber of a catapult, the (more/ less) stored energy it has.
4. In order to load energy in a compressed spring, you must (push the ends together/
stretch it).
5. A stretched elastic will have (a lot/ no) stored energy.

c. Explain the following scenarios. Mention what happens to the energy.

1. Pull the rubber strips of the catapult back. _____________________________________
2. Holding the rubber strips. _____________________________________
3. Release the rubber strips. _____________________________________

d. Mention 4 uses of springs in everyday life.

___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________

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