Final answer:
The energy involved in chemical reactions can take many forms, such as thermal, radiant, electrical, nuclear, and chemical energy. The transformation of energy during these reactions adheres to the law of conservation of energy, meaning it can change form but is neither created nor destroyed.
Step-by-step explanation:
The energy involved in chemical reactions can take many forms. This includes thermal energy, which results from atomic and molecular motion, as seen in molten steel with high thermal energy content. There's also radiant energy from the sun, which is the energy in light and other electromagnetic waves, and electrical energy, illustrated by lightning.
Furthermore, we have nuclear energy that is released during nuclear reactions and chemical energy which comes from the particular arrangement of atoms in compounds. An example of this energy transformation is when gasoline burns in a car's engine, transforming chemical energy into mechanical energy. This conversion aligns with the law of conservation of energy, which states that energy can be neither created nor destroyed but only changed in form.
This principle is crucial in understanding that the energy involved in chemical reactions is not limited to one form but instead may manifest as heat, light, electrical energy, mechanical energy, and more. Therefore, the correct answer to the student's question is that the energy involved in chemical reactions 'can take many forms.'