What is the Difference between Energy and Power?
There is a big confusion in people’s minds about energy and power being similar words. Though both these words are interrelated and probably the relation or similarity of the words is the reason of confusion. Well, it is not difficult to distinguish them. According to physics the energy is defined by capability to do the work. Physics also defines power by referring it as a unit of measurement. Power calculates the time required by the energy to do the work. Energy is delivered by a particular object and power is the rate of its delivery.
Types of energy and their interrelation:
Talking about energy for an instance we can say that energy is required by the body to sustain. There are many types of energy based on the source from which it is obtained. Chemical energy is obtained from chemicals, heat energy is obtained by burning something and light energy is obtained from the bulb. Energy can be kinetic or potential depending on the state of source as referred in physics. Kinetic energy is obtained by the movement of an object. Potential energy is a steady energy obtained by an object at some height. Energy can be transformed in every known form of it. Energy is not something that one can touch and it is felt. Newton had stated that energy can neither be created nor be destroyed. Energy is measured in Joules.
Standard Units of Energy and Power
As mentioned earlier power is a unit to measure energy. Power is the rate at which energy is used. Power term is defined differently in mechanics, heat and electrical domains. Power is measured in joules per second. Another unit recognized by International standards for power is the watt and for energy is watt-hour. Power cannot be stored, but energy can be stored. Power is a scalar quantity and energy is a vector quantity. Power isn’t variable, it is always constant.