The Laws of Thermodynamics
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The movement of energy in the universe is represented by the three laws of thermodynamics:
We cannot create nor destroy energy.
Entropy (the absence of useful work as measured by thermal energy per unit of temperature) is constantly increasing.
However...
3. Entropy decreases with temperature as temperature goes down to absolute zero.
Closed system- something that cannot shift energy to its outside environment.
Open system- something that can shift energy to its outside environment.
Biological organisms are examples of open systems because they accept molecules from the outside environment for energy storage and their internal work causes them to release energy into the environment.
Living systems do not need to be concerned with the third law of thermodynamics, because living systems could never unwind enough to reach the lowest temperature theoretically possible (absolute zero) in connection with the point of no thermal energy (-273.15°C).
Energy can exist in various forms:
Heat energy- is generated when an organism vibrates and causes particles to bounce into each other to transfer from one location to another.
Light energy- a form of electromagnetic radiation that possesses photons and travels in waves.
Chemical energy- responsible for bonding atoms and molecules together.
Nuclear energy- the electricity that is generated from the splitting of atoms.
Sound energy- vibrations will cause this wave-like energy to move through substances.
Energy can be measured in:
Calories- one unit of heat energy that is equivalent to one gram of water by one degree of Celsius.
Joules- these are the SI units that measure the amount of performed work.
Volts- the amount of energy generated from a charge moving between two points in space.
Decibels- measures the base/ratio of the power in a current of a circuit.
Quanta- the smallest amount of any physical thing involved in an interaction.
Photons- measurements of frequency and wavelength to determine energy levels.
Energy is said to be either potential or kinetic. “The energy of mass or its position in the universe is potential energy.” Stationary water at the top of a dam has potential energy. In other words, this is what the energy could be if things were in motion. Kinetic energy is energy that has been released. Water that flows down from the dam is kinetic energy. Energy is said to be either useful or useless. Entropy is a form of useless energy.
The impetus to gain stability can perhaps describe the essence of the second law of thermodynamics. A bag of marbles that rips open and allows the marbles to fall out will result in the marbles rolling away but eventually stopping. The stoppage is the achievement of stability. You could think of the marbles as having more stability in their fallen state than they had when in the bag.
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