Which forms of energy are produced by a crackling campfire: thermal energy, elastic potential energy, light, or sound?

What the question is really asking

You are matching a real-world situation, a crackling campfire, to the types of energy you can observe coming from it.

Energy you can clearly observe from a campfire

• Thermal energy: the fire gives off heat that warms the air and nearby objects.
• Light: the flames glow and you can see the light they emit.
• Sound: the "crackling" is sound caused by wood popping, air expanding, and small pieces breaking.

Why elastic potential energy is not a campfire output

Elastic potential energy is stored when something is stretched or compressed, like a spring or a bow. A campfire is mainly converting chemical energy in the wood into heat, light, and sound, not storing energy by stretching or compressing materials.

Quick check

If you can feel it (heat), see it (light), or hear it (sound), it is an energy form produced by the fire.