Back | Visiting the gallery | Activities for the classroom | Energy key points | What is...? | Further links Some notes on teaching energy - Energy is a tricky topic. We all know what it does, we just don't know what it is. When it comes to teaching about energy some people favour the transformation model, which has at its core the notion of 'types of energy'. The terminology associated with this approach includes common phrases such as 'heat energy' and 'electrical energy' which, although useful in helping to cover some of the basics, are no longer viewed as strictly correct. An alternative approach to teaching about energy can be found in the transference model, which carefully avoids any mention of types of energy. Instead, the transference model accepts that energy simply is, and that it can be transferred, stored, conserved or dissipated. After consulting with experts in the field of science education, including the Nuffield Institute, the Institute of Physics and the chief science and technology consultant to the QCA, the Science Museum has decided to adopt the transference model. This is reflected in the teachers' resource and in the overall thinking behind the gallery. If you are new to the teaching of energy, here are a few essential facts which should help you get to grips with what is clearly a very difficult subject. - Energy cannot be created or destroyed. - Energy can be transferred from place to place in different ways. - We experience energy through many things around us, including light, sound and movement. - In every process where energy is transferred some of it becomes more spread out (dissipated) and so becomes less useful to us. Energy is also a tricky topic because there are plenty of myths and muddles out there. Here are a few we've cleared up for you. - The greenhouse effect does NOT involve ozone depletion, although they're both related to layers of the Earth's atmosphere. The greenhouse effect is a natural occurrence - a 'blanket' of gases that wrap the Earth and keep it warm. Our use of fossil fuels to supply energy is partly to blame for 'thickening' this blanket and causing climate change. - Climate change WON'T simply make the whole world warmer. The effects are very difficult to predict, but the world is likely to face both increased flooding and increased drought. Extended heat waves, more powerful storms and other extreme weather events will probably become more common. Some say Europe may even get significantly colder, rather than hotter. - Fossil fuels WON'T run out tomorrow. If we keep using oil at current rates some say it'll only last another 40 years, while others are confident we'll find more. Even the most pessimistic estimates say current coal supplies will last another 200 years. - At the moment it's NOT as simple as 'renewables are good, fossil fuels are bad'. All energy sources have their pros and cons. You need to weigh up their convenience and availability as well as the full financial cost and environmental impact of getting energy from where it's produced to where it's needed. - An appliance that is turned off can STILL be using up energy! Many TVs and mobile-phone chargers are still using energy when they're turned off with the remote or unplugged from the phone. The only way to stop them using energy is to turn them off at the wall. - Solar panels DO work when the Sun's behind a cloud. They will produce less electricity, but as long as some daylight reaches them, some electricity can be made.