Energy is the ability of a system to perform work. The Law of Conservation of Energy states that Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be transformed from one form of energy to another. In this section, Science Rocks takes a look at the topic of Energy and Power.
Renewable Energy is energy generated from renewable sources – we are all aware of large hydroelectric dams, and wind turbines are becoming a more common site along the side of motorways and across the countryside. Science Rocks takes a look at the pros and cons of Renewable Energy.
Hydrogen Fuels Cells enable the generation of power from a reaction between Hydrogen and Oxygen. A platinum-coated polymer membrane acts as the catalyst for the reaction, which generates an electrical current that could power a vehicle, or an electrical appliance. Dr Ed Brightman, from the NPL, has been measuring the reaction across the membrane, in a project to improve the efficiency of the reaction in order to make the technology more affordable, and the Science Rocks team were firtunate to be able to speak with him about his work.
At the Big Bang Science Fair in 2015, Science Rocks met up with Jamie Edwards – the youngest person to achieve nuclear fusion. He was 13 at the time, and since then, he has featured in newspapers and on TV around the world, describing his amazing achievement. The team interviewed him about his ‘Star in a Jar’.