| l the forms of energy that humanity has | | | | understand just what happens and how we can |
| developed in the past few hundred years of | | | | make it happen. |
| mass production, chemical energy is by far the | | | | Chemical energy is stored in every bond between |
| most commonly used. Whether in the batteries | | | | atoms in a molecule. If a molecule is broken down |
| that power all of our handheld devices and their | | | | and reformed into new molecules, energy is |
| chemical reactions, or in the millions of uses | | | | released. This kind of reaction is present in every |
| we’ve developed for fossil fuels and their | | | | chemical compound we see; however it is the |
| numerous chemical reactions, chemical energy is a | | | | yield of energy that differs. Food, for example, is |
| staple of our daily lives. Coal is burned for energy | | | | chemically broken down by our bodies and taken |
| throughout the world, gasoline combusts every | | | | apart to obtain energy within our bodies. After |
| day in our vehicles, and natural gasses are burned | | | | the energy is removed from the food, the new |
| for heating energy every night. | | | | molecules are separated, energy absorbed for our |
| It’s on a very basic level that chemical | | | | everyday use, and waste removed. |
| energy is stored. A chemical compound is | | | | Another example of a simple chemical reaction |
| composed of very simple collections of atoms, | | | | used to obtain energy, is in the photosynthetic |
| bound together. When the bond between these | | | | process a plant undertakes to garner energy |
| atoms loosens, a chemical reaction takes place | | | | from the sun. So much energy is present in the |
| and new combinations are created. Very simple | | | | light of the sun that a plant is able to take it and |
| reactions, such as the oxidation of metals occurs | | | | apply to existing molecules in its own structure |
| almost constantly. | | | | and create new ones with the presence of |
| However, when a chemical reaction occurs that is | | | | carbon dioxide and water. |
| exothermic, in which energy is actually released | | | | Chemical energy is the easiest and most efficient |
| and the chemical compound is reduced, it is | | | | energy source to store and utilize, if only because |
| possible to harvest that energy for our everyday | | | | it is so readily available, found in nearly everything |
| use. The very simple processes that we observe | | | | we use. Chemical energy, as used by our bodies |
| every day such as the warming of the ground | | | | has been the source of life for billions of years |
| when the sun beats down on it are the same | | | | and the developments in chemical energy |
| basic concepts that apply to these chemical | | | | technology has led to long lasting rechargeable |
| reactions. For humanity to fully harness this | | | | batteries and hopefully in renewable energy |
| chemical energy though, it’s necessary to | | | | resources in the future. |