How does one waste energy? If we cannot see energy how are we wasting it? Why are we trying to save it?

Question

I am not sure if I am wording this correctly but I don't know how else I would do it. I'm just wondering how we are trying to save something that we cannot see?? Thanks for your help

Answer 1

I think you mean energy in terms of the environment. The actual energy we can't see, but the SOURCES that we use for energy, we CAN see. For example, a car is powered by gasoline.  When you save (in other words do not use) gas,  you are saving energy.

Answer 2

If you can't see something doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Energy exists in different forms, such as heat energy, kinetic energy, potential energy...etc. And according to the conservation of energy, you can't really "waste" energy, b/c energy cannot be destroyed or created. I think "wasting" energy is the wasting of "usable" energy. People can only use certain types of energy, and the conversion b/t different forms of energy is difficult. So I think wasting energy is just because we are not able to use certain types of energy to do works.

Answer 3

Of course you cannot see energy! Well, in some ways you can, like lightning. One wastes energy when they leave on the lights unecessarily, or turns on the heat when it is not cold. Things like that. You waste money when you waste energy. We save it because in the form of gas, coal, and other fossil fuels , it turns into greenhouse gas (lots of carbon dioxide) and that is causing global warming. I hope this helped.