The Conversion of Energy from One Form into Another - Essay Example

The conversion of energy from one form into another consists of three fundamental ways. The action of gravitational forces, electric and magnetic force fields, as well as frictional forces may collectively account for one of these ways as when potential energy becomes kinetic energy the moment an object is acted upon by gravity as it falls freely or when charged particles transfer energy between electric and magnetic fields causing electric current in a conductor to enable vibration of molecules so that electric potential is further transformed to energy in the form of heat. Another way is through the atomic emission and absorption of light photons to generate a photothermal effect producing thermal energy that converts photon’s energy to molecular vibrations, a photoelectric effect that yields electrical energy from kinetic energy, and a photochemical effect that renders storage of energy out of chemical changes. Thirdly, fission and fusion reactions possess the capacity to turn the energy associated with an ordering of subatomic particles into nuclear energy (How is Energy Converted). 

It normally takes nearly 700 million years for decaying plant and animal matter to be fossilized upon exposure to extreme levels of heat and pressure into usable fossil fuels which are mostly rich in carbon with coal, natural gas, and petroleum by composition. Being a non-renewable source of energy, fossil fuels may be volatile or non-volatile as materials ranging from those of minimal C to H ratios as methane gas and liquid petroleum to materials with heavier carbon content than hydrogen as in the case of anthracite coal. In modern times, fossil fuels are confronted with the perils of continuous depletion at a rate that alarmingly exceeds that of their production which implies that renewable substitutes with equivalent advantages ought to be discovered and settled for corrective resolution (Lecture 10: Fossil Fuels as Energy Sources).

Aside from being a flexible non-renewable energy source, according to their structure, depositional environment, and thermal reactions, fossil fuels draw a potential attraction because most of the world’s reserves of oil and natural gas come from deformed rocks whereas a great quantity of coal may be derived from sedimentary rock layers that do not undergo deformation. Sediments are readily found everywhere which are comprised of marine organic matter filled with oil and gas in high proportions to make opulent fossil fuel amounts. Because of low oxygen concentration in environments in which massive deposits are preserved and coal forms that gather toward bogs and swamps, fossil fuels can be acquired with many conveniences. Under natural circumstances, fossil fuels are made beyond human intervention since thermal processes may occur spontaneously after decomposing organics goes through preservation to become fossil fuels at a later time.

Aside from fossil fuels, renewable alternatives could be wind energy and geothermal energy or heat derived from the earth using a natural geologic process. As a form of solar energy, the energy of the wind is found to comprise turbulent masses of air rushing to even out the differences in atmospheric pressure formed when the sun heats the air more in one place than in another. For centuries, wind power has been utilized extensively in pumping water, grinding grain, and producing electricity in the modern age. Wind turbines as major replacements for windmills perform the course of wind power upon conversion of the wind’s kinetic energy to mechanical energy which sustains small to large farms and villages with clean and renewable loads of electricity (Freris, 1990). Modern technological advancements in the fields of engineering and science have revolutionized the old design of windmills with a flexible range of horizontal and vertical axes installed for efficient modes of energy capture.

On the other hand, unlike the conventional method of burning fuels to produce the heat required, optimizing the earth’s geothermal energy from deep within the ground is by nature sustainable and would not take additional chemical processes to be transformed into a useful form. Moreover, geothermal energy is never likely to contribute to the greenhouse effect as fossil fuels are and once put up, the power plant would be self-sustaining or not necessitating external energies aside from the power it yields. 
Despite the aforementioned benefits, one major disadvantage of wind energy is the aspect of having to select potent sites which involves a survey of available meteorological information, inspection and selection of candidate sites, sophisticated numerical terrain models, and other techniques for assessing wind origins and dimensions (Hunter & Elliot, 1994). Then, among the listed common downsides of considering geothermal energy for use are high costs of installation, region selectivity, probability of releasing hazardous gases, and the susceptibility of such energy to run out of the stream (Disadvantages of Geothermal Energy).