While there is nothing particularly complicated about identifying which energy form is involved in any case of injury or damage, it is helpful to see the idea applied to various cases. The definition of the energy form needs to be held in mind. As defined on p34 of the book, we are interested in the form of the energy immediately before control is lost over its potentially damaging properties. Examples follow, which also sketch out the Space Transfer Mechanism (Outcome) process.
One benefit of becoming familiar with doing this is that one develops an ability to recognise potentially damaging energy forms for what they are. This is useful for recognising Hazards (as sources of potentially damaging energy).
Another benefit is that one does begin to see the repetitive nature of this – the uniformity in the experience base. Yes, each of the cases that follow is different but the only difference between cases involving the same form of energy is the Circumstances and Conditions which surround them. For example, one gravity case involves a cliff falling on a couple and another the side of a hill on their car. Another case that could have been included involved a mud slide onto houses at the foot of a hill, another rocks and snow in an avalanche that buried people on the mountain.
Case |
Energy form of interest |
Outcome process involves…
|
An explosion in an explosives factory |
Chemical bonding energy of the explosive materials |
Heat wave, sound wave, acoustic wave, flying particles (kinetic energy). |
A keeper in a wild life park is mauled by a tiger, in the outer cage of which she is working
|
Muscle energy of the tiger |
Puncturing, crushing, tearing of the body of the keeper. |
Passenger train carriages are derailed when the train rounds a bend at a speed which is excessive for the bend
|
Kinetic energy of the carriages. Gravitational potential energy of the carriages (rolling off the rails results in a lowering of the centre of gravity of the carriages) |
Energy absorbed by structural deformation on impact with the ground. |
A suspension bridge collapses leading to cars and pedestrians falling into the river below
|
Gravitational potential energy of the cars and people could lead to damage on impact with the water. Note that subsequently people may drown, being a chained Occurrence involving a different energy form. |
Energy absorbed by structural deformation on impact with the water surface. |
Two high-speed trains collide |
Kinetic energy of the two trains |
Energy absorbed by structural deformation on Impact. |
A large number of seedlings are killed when a weedicide is introduced into the watering system, apparently by a disgruntled former employee |
Chemical bonding energy of the weedicide |
Disruption of the chemical processes associated with the life and growth of the seedlings. |
A couple were walking along a beach beneath a cliff, part of which collapsed and buried them |
Gravitational potential energy of the cliff |
Energy absorbed by structural deformation of the people. Possible chained Occurrence involving suffocation. |
A car approaching the entrance to road a tunnel was buried under a large amount of earth that slipped off the face of the hill above the entrance to the tunnel |
Gravitational potential energy of the soil, rocks, trees etc. on the hillside above the tunnel entrance |
Energy absorbed by structural deformation of the car an the occupants. Possible chained Occurrence involving suffocation. |
A gunman opened fire on people holidaying in a camping ground, killing a large number |
Chemical bonding energy of the charge in the bullets |
Conversion to kinetic energy of the bullet, sound, light and heat. Puncturing of the bodies of those hit. |
A sick passenger was being transferred from one ship to another for emergency treatment when she fell into the sea, which was very cold being in high latitudes in the Northern hemisphere. She died later in hospital, apparently largely as a result of the exposure to the cold water. |
Thermal energy of the sea water |
Reduction in body temperature as heat leaves the body. |
An explosion at a gas pipeline facility kills three people |
Chemical bonding energy of the gas |
Heat wave, sound wave, acoustic wave, possibly flying particles (kinetic energy). |
The power turbine of a jet engine disintegrates damaging the aircraft on which it is mounted |
Kinetic energy (rotational) |
Flying particles and deformation of aircraft structure and systems on impact |
Chemical dosing of a fish (to control parasites) in a fish farm kills 80 tonnes of fish as the does is far in excess of that intended |
Chemical bonding energy of the chemical used |
Disruption of the chemical processes associated with the life and growth of the fish. |
A pilot was taxiing his airforce jet when the ejector seat fired, sending him upwards to then crash on the airfield sustaining fatal injuries from the impact |
Pressure energy of the compressed gas in the firing cylinder followed by chemical bonding energy of the seat propulsion unit. |
Conversion to speed (kinetic energy) then to height (gravitational potential energy) then to speed followed by structural distortion of the body on impact with the ground. |
A large meteorite hit a rural part of Russian, creating an explosion that was reckoned to be several times the strength of the atomic bombs dropped on Japan in the second world war |
One needs to know what the process of the explosion was – was it literally an explosive chemical bonding energy release of the rock material or was it a combination of high temperature from air friction and an acoustic blast wave generated by the speed of the rock? |
|
Two children died in their sleep at a holiday hotel when they inhaled Carbon Monoxide produced by a faulty boiler in the building |
Chemical bonding energy of the Carbon Monoxide |
Interruption of Oxygen transfer in the lungs |
An airliner caught fire in flight, leading to loss of control and a crash into the sea |
Gravitational potential energy of the airliner (combined with kinetic energy) |
Energy absorbed by structural deformation on impact with the water surface. |
A submarine hits an undersea mountain as the height of the peak was misread on the charts |
Kinetic energy of the submarine |
Energy absorbed by structural deformation on impact with the mountain . |