Energy Density (DP IB Physics: HL): Revision Note

Energy Density

• A fuel is anything that can be burned to produce heat, which can be used for an engine to work

• The energy that an amount of fuel can provide is an important consideration for the modern world

  • When this is compared by volume of fuel, it is known as energy density

• Energy density is a measure of the amount of energy per unit volume of a fuel

  • Energy density is measured in J m^-3

• Different fuels contain different amounts of energy, which make them suitable for certain uses e.g. petrol for running vehicles

• Some examples are:

Energy Density Table

• 1 L (litre) is 0.001 m³

• This means that we can get more energy per unit volume of coal than we can wood

• Fuels are chosen for specific uses based on a number of factors, including energy density, safety of use and pollutants released in combustion