Abstract
Man used nuclear energy from the sun long before the physical concept of energy became known. In the form of electromagnetic radiation solar energy travels through interplanetary space, in the form of chemical energy it is stored in organic materials on the surface of the earth. Collected over large areas and through periods of months in plants, solar energy is transformed into muscular power of man and animals. By integration through decades in wood and through millions of years in coal solar energy provided the fuel for steam engines, the last energy technology of the pre-scientific era. Solar energy is transformed into kinetic energy of air and thus may drive windmills, it is also transformed into potential energy of water and thereby may power water mills.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1982 Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Thielheim, K.O. (1982). The Physical Concept of Energy. In: Thielheim, K.O. (eds) Primary Energy. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-68444-9_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-68444-9_1
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-11307-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-68444-9
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive