MUSIC AND PHYSICS
conservation of energy
THE LAW OF CONSERVATION OF ENERGY STATES THAT ENERGY CANNOT BE CREATED OR DESTROYED. IT CAN ONLY BE CONVERTED AND TRANSFERRED THROUGHOUT DIFFERENT FORMS OF ENERGY. THIS MEANS, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT IF YOU WERE TO KICK A SOCCER BALL, THE ENERGY IN YOUR FOOT IS TRANSFERRED TO THE SOCCER BALL, CAUSING IT TO MOVE.
EXAMPLES IN MUSIC
ONE WAY THAT THE LAW OF CONSERVATION OF ENERGY IS WITH AMPLIFIERS. WHEN TURNED ON, AMPLIFIERS USE ELECTRIC ENERGY TO POWER THE MACHINE. ONCE THIS OCCURS, THE GUITARIST/BASSIST/ETC. STRUMS THEIR INSTRUMENT. BY DOING SO, THE ELECTRIC ENERGY IS THEN CONVERTED TO SOUND ENERGY. THEREFORE, NONE OF THE ENERGY IS LOST, IT IS JUST USED IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. THE AMPLIFIER STARTS OUT WITH 200 JOULES OF ELECTRIC ENERGY AND 0 JOULES OF SOUND ENERGY. AFTER THE GUITAR IS STRUMMED, THERE ARE 200 JOULES OF SOUND ENERGY. HOW MANY JOULES OF ELECTRIC ENERGY ARE THERE?
A: 0 JOULES
2. CAN TWO FORMS OF ENERGY HAVE AN EQUAL AMOUNT OF ENERGY?
A: YES, WHILE ENERGY IS STILL BEING CONVERTED
A: 0 JOULES
2. CAN TWO FORMS OF ENERGY HAVE AN EQUAL AMOUNT OF ENERGY?
A: YES, WHILE ENERGY IS STILL BEING CONVERTED