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Conservation of Energy
Conservation of energy is one of the basic concepts underlying modern physics. This law states that within a defined domain, energy cannot be created or destroyed but can only change form. Energy exists in many different forms, such as heat energy or potential energy. Kinetic energy may be transformed into heat energy or electrical energy but will never be lost or destroyed.
Kinetic Energy
All moving objects possess a type of energy known as "kinetic energy," which occurs as the result of work done on an object, setting the object in motion. Kinetic energy is also a measurement of the amount of work the object's movement can do. The scientific formula used to find an object's kinetic energy is one half the object's mass multiplied by its velocity squared. Therefore, increasing a moving object's mass or velocity also increases its kinetic energy.
Electromagnetic Induction
Exposing a conductor, such as a coil of wire, to a moving magnetic field results in the induction of voltage in the conductor. This process is known as electromagnetic induction. When a circuit is connected to the conductor, the voltage generates a current, or electrical energy, in the circuit. In an electrical generator, either the conductor or the magnets that generate the field are set in motion. This motion, or kinetic energy, is necessary for electromagnetic induction to occur.
Generators and Power Plants
Electrical generators like the ones found in power plants get kinetic energy from a variety of sources. In wind or hydroelectric plants, the energy source -- in these cases, the wind or water -- directly turns a turbine, introducing the motion needed for electromagnetic induction. Other power plants burn fossil fuels or use nuclear power to generate heat, which is then converted into the kinetic energy necessary for electromagnetic induction.