What is chemical energy?

• A. Energy from light
• B. Energy from motion
• C. Energy from chemical bonds
• D. Thermal energy in objects

Answer: (C)

Chemical energy is the energy stored in the bonds that hold atoms together in a molecule. This potential energy sits in the arrangement of atoms and is released or absorbed when those bonds break and new bonds form during chemical reactions. For example, burning gasoline rearranges chemical bonds and releases heat and motion, while batteries convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Energy from light, energy from motion, and thermal energy describe different forms of energy (radiant, kinetic, and the energy associated with temperature), not the stored energy in chemical bonds. So chemical energy is specifically energy stored in chemical bonds.