Understands and applies knowledge of conservation of energy and increase in disorder

"Conservation of energy and increase in disorder" is an essential concept of a world-class secondary science curriculum. Included in "conservation of energy and increase in disorder" is the following content:
The total energy of the universe is constant. Energy can be transferred by collisions in chemical and nuclear reactions, by light waves and other radiations, and in many other ways. However, it can never be destroyed. As these transfers occur, the matter involved becomes steadily less ordered.

  • Work and energy
  • Conservation of energy
  • Energy transfer
  • Thermodynamics
  • Entropy
All energy can be considered to be either kinetic energy, which is the energy of motion; potential energy, which depends on relative position; or energy contained by a field, such as electromagnetic waves.
  • Kinetic energy
  • Potential energy
  • Electromagnetic Waves
Heat consists of random motion and the vibrations of atoms, molecules, and ions. The higher the temperature, the greater the atomic or molecular motion.
  • Heat and temperature
  • Thermal properties of matter
  • Kinetic Theory of Gases
Everything tends to become less organized and less orderly over time. Thus, in all energy transfers, the overall effect is that the energy is spread out uniformly. Examples are the transfer of energy from hotter to cooler objects by conduction, radiation, or convection and the warming of our surroundings when we burn fuels.
  • Entropy
  • Thermodynamics
  • Energy transfer

 

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