Physics is about energy

My hand shoots up again. I’m 13. What is it, the seventh time this lesson? My physics teacher acts as if he hasn’t seen it. Once he’s finished his explanation and set us some practice questions, he comes over to my desk. “Go on, Carole.”

“But what actually is energy?”

He gently chuckles. “Well… that’s actually rather hard to explain. I can recommend a good book that… well, it won’t really explain it, but it’ll give you a good idea.”

I read the book in one sitting. An analogy involving toy blocks makes me pause and slowly nod, as the concept of energy begins to form in my mind.

I don’t know yet that I have ADHD, that my brain thrives on novelty and learning and makes me, among other things, endlessly curious. But I know myself well enough to recognise that the sparks of excitement that fly in my mind when my questions can’t be answered are like no other.

And that this only happens when I think about physics.

_{Submitted by Carole Kenrick}