"Energy" - Running With the Baton: Project Good Words
Taking the Baton
Maria (marcoujor) kindly passed me the baton in her hub "Energy: Project Good Words Musical Challenge"
"And now I would like to pass the baton of the Project Good Words to you, John, with the word of energy.
Take your time in responding and anything goes...
Thanks ever so much, Maria"
Thanks Maria, I gladly accept the baton and this hub is the result. I hope I do Project Good Words justice.
Energy: the Definition
The World Book Dictionary defines en/er/gy n., pl. gies. as:
- will to work; vigor: That boy is so full of energy that he cannot keep still.
- the power to do work or act; force: All our energies were used to keep the fire from spreading.
- capacity for doing work, such as lifting or moving an object: A steam engine changes heat into mechanical energy.
- ability to produce action or effect: It took a great amount of energy to push the wheelbarrow laden with bricks up the steep slope.
Types of Energy
Our Need for Energy
Energy: where would we be without it? Well, we wouldn't exist..nothing would. However the Earth and the Universe came to be, it would have required energy in some form. Life forms wouldn't have been created without it. Just existing requires energy. We need it to grow and to do that we need to breath, eat, drink, and sleep to stay alive, and all those processes require energy to work.
Plants and animals require energy to grow and produce fruit, grain, and meat for humans and other living things to consume and to build energy in turn so that we can survive.
God gave us intelligence so we could find/discover ways to create our own forms of energy, and it didn't take the human race long before we learned to create energy from burning coal, oil and gas to power our homes, factories, transport etc. We also learnt to 'split the atom' and create the 'atomic bomb' and ultimately nuclear energy.
Renewable Energy
God also gave us wisdom so that we can decide how to use energy wisely and not decimate the Earth's finite natural resources and fossil fuels i.e. coal, oil, gas. We still have to fully embrace 'green energy' like solar, wind, and hydro- electricity, hydrogen fuel cells. At present these forms of producing power are called 'alternative energy' but I prefer the terms 'renewable' or 'sustainable energy'. I hope these become the main-stream forms of energy sooner rather than later.
Energy and the Human Body
Supplying enough energy to support the body's many functions at work and play is one of the chief functions of food. This energy comes from the fats, carbohydrates, and proteins in the food you eat. Of the three, fat is the most concentrated source of energy because it provides more than twice as much energy for a given weight as protein or carbohydrate.
Energy requirements are usually expressed in terms of calories. This is really a kilocalorie - the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of one kilogram (about 1 quart) of water one degree Celsius.
The energy requirement for a person is divided into two parts: basal metabolic requirements and energy required for activity. Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the heat eliminated from the body at rest and at normal temperature. An average person requires 2000-2400 calories per day while a large man doing heavy physical work may require up to 6000 calories per day.
When you choose foods that provide more energy, or calories than you need, the excess energy is stored as fat in the body -- and a gain in weight may result. If less food is eaten than meets the body's energy demands, stored fat serves as an energy source -- and weight loss will result. Your weight stays about the same if the energy from food matches the energy requirements of the body.
Especially for Nellieanna
The Energy Poem
Everything upon the Earth
Needs energy to thrive.
Each action that is performed
Requires impetus and drive.
God provided Nature's power
Yet for much more humans strive.
Energy for Writing
As a fellow writer I am sure you sometimes have days when you wake up unmotivated and lacking drive. When it seems a chore just to pick up a pen or to sit at your computer.
It's times like these that you need an energy boost.
I find that having a small healthy snack like a piece of fruit or a boiled egg helps. Follow this up with some moderate exercise like a brisk ten minute walk or lifting some light weights or push-ups, and it gives both your body and mind a kick start.
You seem to acquire a new burst of energy that was lacking before, and if you sit back down at your desk it is often amazing all the new thoughts and ideas that spring to life.
Thank You All
In closing I would like to offer a special thank you to the following people for their kind and encouraging comments on Maria's (marcourjor's) hub "Energy-Project Good Words Musical Challenge" where she announced she was passing the baton onto me. The kind support from you and other Hubbers (who read my work) is the reason I write:
Nellieanna (my dear mentor)
and finally Jo_Goldsmith11 who started this all off.
© 2014 John Hansen