Look around and pick anything that is happening — a lamp shining, a car driving, a kettle heating, music playing, you running about. Every one of them needs the same secret ingredient to keep going:

energy is what makes things happen.

Nothing moves, lights up, heats up or makes a sound for free. It all runs on energy — and that energy has to come from somewhere: food for you, fuel for a car, a battery for a torch, and the Sun for plants. These are called energy sources.

Here is the whole idea in one little machine. With no energy the lamp is dark and the toy car sits still. Switch the energy in and watch: the lamp glows and the car gets going. Flip it and see everything stop.

Your energy adventures

Start with What Is Energy? to see how energy makes things happen and where it comes from. Then discover the many kinds of energy — light, heat, sound and movement — and finish by learning why we should all be saving energy and not wasting it.