Conner boils water on the electric stove. The electrical energy is transferred to the thermal energy of the stove. This demonstrates which concept?

• A. Energy can change from one form to another.
• B. Every system produces more energy than goes into it.
• C. Electrical energy can only produce heat energy.
• D. Energy is created and then destroyed.

Answer: (A)

When energy changes form, that’s what’s being shown here. The stove uses electrical energy from the power outlet and transforms it into thermal energy in the coils. That heat then transfers to the water, increasing its thermal energy and causing it to boil. This demonstrates that energy can change from one form to another rather than appearing out of nowhere. It also reflects energy conservation: you’re not creating new energy, you’re converting the input into heat and some of it is eventually lost to the surroundings. The other ideas aren’t accurate: electrical energy isn’t limited to producing only heat, and energy isn’t created or destroyed—only transformed.