Rain drums on the porch roof. Rocket and Raven watch the storm from just inside the screen door.
Flash! Lightning lights up the whole sky. A few seconds later, thunder rumbles so deep the windows buzz.
"The lightning is way over there," Rocket says, pointing at the hills. "But I could see it and hear it here."
Raven nods. "What do you notice? Something traveled all the way to us."
Nova dims her lights to watch. "My hint," she says. "Count how many ways that storm reached you."
Energy does not have to stay in one spot. It can travel.
Scientists say energy can be moved from place to place by moving objects, sound, light or electric currents.
The flash you see is light energy reaching your eyes. The rumble you hear is sound energy reaching your ears.
This week we follow energy on four trips: sound, light, heat and electric currents.
| Way energy travels | Example |
|---|---|
| Sound | Thunder rumbles across the hills |
| Light | Lightning flashes in your eyes |
| Heat | A warm mug warms your hands |
| Electric current | Electricity flows through a lamp cord |
One lightning bolt sends energy to you in two ways.
The flash is light. It reaches your eyes almost at once.
The thunder is sound. It takes longer to travel to your ears.
That is why you see the flash first and hear the rumble after.
| Statement | True or false? |
|---|---|
| Energy can travel from place to place. | ? |
| You see lightning before you hear thunder. | ? |
| Sound and light are the same thing. | ? |
| Moving objects can carry energy from place to place. | ? |
Great start! Tomorrow we zoom in on sound and learn a thunder counting trick.