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Energy Basics

Provided by: Stanford Understand Energy |Published on: June 16, 2024

Videos

1112AP

Synopsis

This upper-level resource introduces the basics of energy, power, thermodynamics, and energy transmission through a fast-facts article, links to a related video and texts, and a lecture video.
Topics covered include the laws of thermodynamics, energy quality, the origins and forms of energy, stock vs. flow resources, converting energy resources to energy services, uses of energy, and efficiency.

Related Teaching Resources

Subjects: Chemistry, Physics, Earth and Space Sciences

Authors: Standford Understand Energy

Region: Global

Languages: English

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Teaching Materials

Positives

The written text and lecture slides include many infographics and images.
The lecturer uses analogies to help explain difficult concepts and address common misconceptions.

Prerequisites

The lecture video is divided into sections with a provided table of contents.
An ad may play before the lecture video.
There is a five-minute "Essential" video that students may need to watch before watching the lecture.

Differentiation & Implementation

Honors or advanced high school science courses can use this resource.
This is a great resource for a flipped classroom environment where students can watch the lecture before class. Then teachers can use class time for discussion, experimentation, a project, efficiency calculations, etc.
To make the lecture more interactive teachers can pause the video periodically and add short collaborative activities like a quick discussion with a partner or a card sort activity for the key attributes of primary energy resources.
Teachers can use the links to related resources as a jigsaw activity before watching the lecture, with each group assigned one resource to explore and report back their key learnings to the class.

Scientist Notes

Teaching Tips

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Resource Type and Format

About the Partner Provider

Stanford Understand Energy

Stanford University’s Understand Energy Learning Hub provides free access to Stanford course content on energy resources from fossil fuels like oil and coal to renewable resources like the wind, the sun, and efficiency; energy currencies like electricity and hydrogen; and energy services such as transportation and buildings. Explore the Hub and build your energy literacy to address climate change and sustainability issues, engage on equity and human development challenges, participate in energy industry markets and technology innovations, and make informed energy decisions.

Related Teaching Resources

All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.