GCSE Physics (Edexcel)

Topic Summaries

Renewable energy and efficiency

Efficiency

  • The efficiency of an energy transfer is a unitless number that describes the proportion of energy that is transferred to a useful form. It can be written as a decimal or a percentage.
  • Efficiency can be calculated as useful output energy ÷ total input energy
  • Efficiency can also be calculated as useful output power ÷ total input power
  • Efficiency can be increased by reducing energy losses.
    • Reducing the effects of friction through lubrication, reducing heat loss through insulation or reducing the effects of air resistance through streamlining will reduce the energy dissipated to the surroundings.

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