In an engine, fuel and oxygen chemically react and release energy. What happens to the energy NOT used by the engine?
A.
It has been destroyed.
B.
It is lost in the form of heat and sound.
C.
It remains stored in the chemical bonds of the fuel.
D
.
It is converted into methane.
B. It is lost in the form of heat and sound.
B. It is lost in the form of heat and sound.
The correct answer is B. It is lost in the form of heat and sound.
When fuel and oxygen chemically react in an engine, a portion of the energy released is converted into useful work, such as the rotation of the engine's components, pushing a vehicle forward, or generating electricity. However, not all of the released energy is converted into useful work. Some of it is inevitably lost in the form of heat and sound.
This loss of energy occurs due to various factors. For example, the combustion process is not 100% efficient, so some energy is lost as heat when the fuel burns. Additionally, the engine's moving parts and friction between them also generate heat, which further contributes to energy loss. Lastly, the sound produced by the engine is a result of energy being converted into acoustic waves.
It's important to note that energy cannot be destroyed (option A). Instead, it is often converted from one form to another. In this case, the energy not used by the engine is primarily converted into heat and sound, which dissipate into the surrounding environment. The remaining options, storing the energy in the chemical bonds of the fuel (option C) or converting it into methane (option D), are not accurate descriptions of what happens to the energy in an engine.