Joule – The Unit of Energy — Reading Comprehension
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MS-PS3-5
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This learning resource is available in interactive and printable formats. The interactive worksheet can be played online and assigned to students. The Printable PDF version can be downloaded and printed for completion by hand.
This NGSS-aligned reading passage introduces students to the joule, the standard unit of energy in the metric system, and supports the MS-PS3-5 performance expectation. It explains what a joule is, who it’s named after, and why it matters in science and everyday life. Students learn that the joule measures all types of energy, including kinetic, potential, electrical, and thermal energy. Real-world examples include lifting objects, using toasters, and reading food labels. The passage reinforces the concept of energy conservation and provides context for how energy is tracked and compared. This resource supports science literacy and comprehension for middle school students exploring physical science concepts.
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A joule (J) is the standard unit used to measure energy in the metric system. It tells us how much energy is used to do work or produce heat. The joule is named after James Prescott Joule, a British scientist who studied energy and helped prove that energy is always conserved—it cannot be created or destroyed.
One joule is a small amount of energy. For example, if you lift a small apple about one meter off the ground, you use about one joule of energy. This shows that energy is needed even for simple tasks, and the joule helps scientists measure that energy in a clear, consistent way.
Joules can measure many forms of energy: kinetic energy (the energy of motion), potential energy (stored energy), thermal energy, electrical energy, and more. For instance, when a toaster uses electricity, the energy used is measured in joules. If it uses a lot of energy over time, we often measure it in kilojoules (kJ) or even megajoules (MJ)—larger units made up of thousands or millions of joules.
Energy use in daily life is often recorded using joules. Food labels may list energy in kilojoules, showing how much energy the body can get from eating it. Power companies also use joules when calculating how much electricity homes and businesses use.
Understanding the joule helps us compare energy amounts, design efficient machines, and track how energy flows in different systems. It’s a basic, but powerful concept in science and engineering.
Fun Fact: One kilojoule (1 kJ) equals 1,000 joules—about the energy it takes to run for 6 seconds or to keep a 100-watt light bulb on for 10 seconds!
What does a joule measure?
TemperatureSpeedEnergyMass
Who is the joule named after?
Isaac NewtonAlbert EinsteinJames JouleThomas Edison
How much energy is used to lift a small apple one meter?
1 gram1 newton1 joule1 calorie
Which of these is a larger unit than a joule?
MegagramKilojouleNewtonDegree
What kind of energy can joules measure?
Only heatOnly motionAny type of energyOnly stored energy
Why are joules useful in science?
They measure distanceThey are used in recipesThey help compare energy amountsThey are used to measure weight
What is the main idea of the passage?
Joules are used to track speedJoules are the unit for energyJoules replace kilogramsJoules measure light levels
If a machine uses 2,000 joules of energy, how many kilojoules is that?
2 kJ20 kJ200 kJ2 kJ
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