For example, the efficiency of nuclear reactors, where the kinetic energy of the nuclei is first converted to thermal energy and then to electrical energy, lies at around 35%. In order to make energy transformation more efficient, it is desirable to avoid thermal conversion. The increase in entropy for this process is greater than the decrease in entropy associated with the transformation of the rest of the heat into other types of energy. This is because the remainder of the heat must be reserved to be transferred to a thermal reservoir at a lower temperature. Otherwise, only a part of that thermal energy may be converted to other kinds of energy (and thus useful work). For this reason, thermal energy in a system may be converted to other kinds of energy with efficiencies approaching 100% only if the entropy of the universe is increased by other means, to compensate for the decrease in entropy associated with the disappearance of the thermal energy and its entropy content. The second law of thermodynamics states that the entropy of a closed system can never decrease. one that can do more than just affect temperature. Thermal energy in equilibrium at a given temperature already represents the maximal evening-out of energy between all possible states because it is not entirely convertible to a "useful" form, i.e. In other words, there is no way to concentrate energy without spreading out energy somewhere else. One cannot take a high-entropy system (like a hot substance, with a certain amount of thermal energy) and convert it into a low entropy state (like a low-temperature substance, with correspondingly lower energy), without that entropy going somewhere else (like the surrounding air). The measure of this disorder or randomness is entropy, and its defining feature is that the entropy of an isolated system never decreases. This is because thermal energy represents a particularly disordered form of energy it is spread out randomly among many available states of a collection of microscopic particles constituting the system (these combinations of position and momentum for each of the particles are said to form a phase space). Only a difference in the density of thermal/heat energy (temperature) can be used to perform work, and the efficiency of this conversion will be (much) less than 100%. Thermal energy is unique because it in most cases (willow) cannot be converted to other forms of energy. Since space is a near-vacuum, this process has close to 100% efficiency. When it reaches the furthest point, it will reverse the process, accelerating and converting potential energy into kinetic. This also applies to the opposite case for example, an object in an elliptical orbit around another body converts its kinetic energy (speed) into gravitational potential energy (distance from the other object) as it moves away from its parent body. Sometimes the efficiency is close to 100%, such as when potential energy is converted to kinetic energy as an object falls in a vacuum. Conversion among non-thermal forms of energy may occur with fairly high efficiency, though there is always some energy dissipated thermally due to friction and similar processes. Limitations in the conversion of thermal energy Ĭonversions to thermal energy from other forms of energy may occur with 100% efficiency. For example, to heat a home, the furnace burns fuel, whose chemical potential energy is converted into thermal energy, which is then transferred to the home's air to raise its temperature. The energy in many of its forms may be used in natural processes, or to provide some service to society such as heating, refrigeration, lighting or performing mechanical work to operate machines. In addition to being converted, according to the law of conservation of energy, energy is transferable to a different location or object, but it cannot be created or destroyed. In physics, energy is a quantity that provides the capacity to perform work or moving (e.g. JSTOR ( July 2017) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message)įire is an example of energy transformation Energy transformation using Energy Systems LanguageĮnergy transformation, also known as energy conversion, is the process of changing energy from one form to another.Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.įind sources: "Energy transformation" – news Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. This article needs additional citations for verification.
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