Chemical energy facts for kids

Chemical energy is the energy stored inside the tiny bonds that hold atoms together in chemical substances. When these substances go through a chemical reaction and change into different substances, this stored energy can be released.

Imagine energy is like money in a bank account. Chemical energy is the money saved up in the chemical bonds of molecules. When a chemical reaction happens, it's like spending or earning that money.

Some great examples of where chemical energy is stored include:

• Batteries: They store chemical energy and turn it into electrical energy.
• Food: The food you eat has chemical energy that your body uses to move and grow.
• Gasoline: This fuel has a lot of chemical energy. When it burns in an engine, it releases energy to make a car move.
• Oxygen gas: Oxygen is super important for releasing chemical energy from fuels like gasoline.

When chemical bonds break and new ones form, energy is always involved. This energy can either be taken in (absorbed) or given off (released). If the new bonds formed are stronger than the old ones, energy is released. This is why molecules with weaker bonds tend to store more chemical energy.

How Chemical Energy Works

Chemical energy is all about the arrangement of atoms and the strength of the bonds between them. When a chemical reaction happens, atoms rearrange themselves, and new bonds are made.

• Energy Release: If the new bonds are stronger and more stable, extra energy is released, often as heat or light. This is called an exothermic reaction.
• Energy Absorption: If the new bonds are weaker, the reaction needs to take in energy from its surroundings to happen. This is called an endothermic reaction.

Everyday Examples of Chemical Energy

Chemical energy is at work all around us, powering many things we see and do every day.

Food and Your Body

When you eat food, your body breaks it down through chemical reactions.

• Your body takes the food (like sugars and fats) and reacts it with oxygen.
• This process releases the chemical energy stored in the food.
• Your body then uses this energy to keep warm, move, think, and grow.
• The main products of this reaction are carbon dioxide and water.

Burning Fuels

Burning is a common way to release chemical energy.

• When you burn wood, natural gas, or gasoline, you are causing a chemical reaction.
• The fuel reacts with oxygen in the air.
• This reaction quickly converts the chemical energy stored in the fuel and oxygen into heat and light.
• This heat can be used to cook food, warm homes, or power engines.

Plants and Photosynthesis

Plants are amazing at capturing energy from the sun.

• Green plants use a process called photosynthesis.
• They take solar energy (sunlight), carbon dioxide from the air, and water from the soil.
• They then convert these into chemical energy, mainly in the form of sugars (like glucose) and oxygen.
• This stored chemical energy allows the plant to grow and live.

Batteries and Electricity

Batteries are devices that store and release chemical energy.

• Inside a battery, special chemical reactions happen.
• These reactions convert chemical energy directly into electrical energy.
• This electrical energy can then power your phone, flashlight, or remote control.
• Some batteries can also be recharged, meaning electrical energy is used to reverse the chemical reactions and store chemical energy again.

Chemical energy is a fundamental concept in science, explaining how energy is stored and released in the world around us.