Where Does Chemical Energy Come From?

Where does chemical energy come from? Chemical energy comes from a chemical reaction that occurs. Understanding where chemical energy comes from involves an understanding of the different types of energy as well as how those different types of energy are created. So, where does chemical energy come from?

With a basic understanding of the different types of energy and how these types can be produced by a chemical reaction, it is pretty simple to understand where chemical energy comes from. In science, energy is defined as the ability of an object to do work. Although there are many various forms of energy, generally each type of energy can be grouped into two types. These two types are either:

• Kinetic Energy – The energy of motion
• Potential Energy – Stored energy within an object

When dealing with chemical energy and where chemical energy comes from, it is important to understand that generally chemical energy begins as a type of potential energy.

In chemical energy, the energy of an object comes from chemical reactions amongst molecules in the object. A chemical reaction can either create molecules or destroy them.

When molecules are created, the energy becomes stored in the bonds of the molecules, thus this type of chemical reaction creates a source of potential energy. If molecules are destroyed, the chemical energy created is mostly heat, which is released, which is a form of kinetic energy.

How Chemical Energy Works

Understanding where chemical energy comes from is important because it shapes our daily lives. Chemical energy is contained in the bonds of the molecules of the food that we eat. Each nutritional element of a piece of food that is good for us is grown or created and energy is contained within those molecules.

For instance, a piece of fruit in the refrigerator would be a form of chemical energy in its potential energy state. Once we take the piece of fruit from the refrigerator and bite into it, the chemical energy once stored as potential energy then becomes kinetic energy.

As we ingest the piece of fruit, the stored chemical energy becomes kinetic energy as our body breaks down the bonds and begins to take what we need from the food that we are eating. The cells of our body then take this chemical energy and use it for their own needs to keep us healthy and happy. This type of chemical energy in motion is called respiration.

Plants use chemical energy in the same way. Plants use light from the sun to perform the process of photosynthesis. This process allows the plant to store potential chemical energy. This potential chemical energy becomes kinetic chemical energy when an animal eats the plant. The chemical energy once stored within the plant is used by the cells of the body in the animal to take what they need from it in order to keep them functioning. The cells take what is needed from the food and store it once again creating potential chemical energy until the body needs it for something at which time it will be converted back into kinetic energy.