Energy Store - GCSE Physics Definition

An energy store refers to the form and location where energy is held before it is transferred or converted into another form, according to the conservation of energy principle in GCSE Physics. Energy can be stored in various ways, including thermally in a hot object, kinetically in a moving object, gravitationally in an object raised above the ground, and chemically in substances like food or fuel. Understanding these energy stores is crucial as it helps explain how energy is conserved and transformed in different processes and systems, with typical examples including batteries (chemical energy store) and stretched springs (elastic potential energy store). This concept assists students in analysing and predicting the outcomes of energy transfer scenarios in both natural and artificial systems.