Introduction

Get ready to spark your students’ curiosity and understanding about the world of energy! This document is your go-to guide for introducing key energy measurements—like watts, kilowatts, joules, and calories—in a way that’s practical, relatable, and fun. Packed with clear definitions, real-world examples, and engaging problems, it’s designed to help you bring energy concepts to life in your classroom. Whether students are calculating the power of a wind turbine, exploring the energy in their snacks, or uncovering how much electricity their devices consume, this resource will inspire them to think critically and see energy all around them.

Materials

Energy Challenge Math Problems – Answer Key

  1. Kilowatt-hours = Watts x Hours / 1,000
    60 x 10 = 600
    600 / 1000 = 0.6 kWh
  2. A kilowatt-hour represents one kilowatt of power used for one hour.
    2 x 3 = 6 kWh
  3. 0.15 x 150 = $22.50
  4. Work (J) = Force (N) x Distance (m)
    10 x 5 = 50 J
  5. A calorie is equal to the energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1°C.
    200 x 10 = 2000 calories
  6. 100 x 5 = 500
    500 /1000 = 0.5 kWh
  7. Energy (J) = Power (W) x Time (sec)
    1200 x 180 = 216,000 J
  8. Potential Energy (J) = Mass (kg) x Gravity (9.8 m/s2) x Height (m)
    5 x 9.8 x 2 = 98 J
  9. Energy (kWh) = Power (kW) x Time (hr)
    2000 x 24 = 48,000 kWh
  10. Kinetic Energy (J) = ½ x Mass (kg) x v2 (m/s)
    ½ x 2 = 1 and 4 x 4 = 16
    1 x 16 = 16 J
  11. Work (J) = Force (N) x Distance (m)
    50 x 10 = 500 J
  12. A kilocalorie is equal to 1,000 calories
    2.5 x 1000 = 2,500 cal
  13. Energy (GWh) = Power (GW) x Time (hr)
    1 x 24 = 24 GWh
  14. 15,000 x 3 = 45,000 BTU
  15. 2 x 7 = 14
    14 x 100,000 = 1,400,000 BTU
  16. One horsepower is approximately 746 watts.
    300 x 746 = 223,800 BTU
  17. Work (ft-lb) = Force (lb) x Distance (ft)
    10 x 3 = 30 ft-lb
  18. Energy (kWh) = Power (kW) x Time (hr)
    0.3 x 6 = 1.8 kWh

Energy Units Crossword Puzzle – Solution

Across

[2] A unit of energy, often used in nutrition, equal to the energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1°C.

[4] Equal to 1,000 megawatts or 1 billion watts; used for large-scale power measurements.

[8] Equal to 1,000 watts; used to measure the power of appliances.

[9] A unit of power measuring the rate of energy transfer (1 joule per second).

[10] The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 pound of water by 1°F.

[12] A unit of heat energy equal to 100,000 BTUs, often used for natural gas.

[14] A unit of power measuring the output of engines; 1 hp is approximately 746 watts.

Down

[1] A measure of energy representing one kilowatt of power used for one hour.

[3] The form of energy an object possesses due to its motion.

[5] Equal to 1,000 kilowatts or 1 million watts, often used for power plants

[6] The energy held by an object because of its position or state.

[7] A unit of energy, often used on food labels, equal to 1,000 calories.

[11] A unit of work or energy, equal to the energy needed to lift one pound, one foot.

[13] A unit of energy; the amount of energy transferred by applying a force of one newton over a meter.