Got the rest..............?

Question

but what about this one?

5. Explain the relationship between the second law of thermodynamics and energy conversion using an example.

thanks for any help :D

Answer 1

The relationship of the second law to energy conservation is that of a limit. The second law simply states that the best that could possibly be done when getting useful work out of any machine is that less than 100% of the input energy is transformed to work. The second law limits what is possible. Put simply, the second law means that you will never get out as much as you put in, never mind more than you put in.

Answer 2

The second law of thermodynamics states that entropy is always increasing and that 100% efficient energy conversions are impossible....there is always some amount of energy lost in the process (to heat...as opposed to work).

For example,
When you charge a battery you are doing work on the battery to increase its internal potential energy. The change in potential energy (ideally) should equal the amount of energy needed to be spent to charge it up...but it doesn't. To charge up that battery it takes MORE energy than the battery will gain in the end due to the heat loss.