Thermodynamics

ANSWER

Thermodynamics

The most basic definition of the word ‘energy’ is that it is the capacity to do work or the potential to cause change. Energy can exist in many forms, among them potential energy, kinetic energy, thermal energy, electrical energy, chemical energy, and nuclear energy, among others. All forms of energy involve motion and can neither be created nor destroyed but can only change from one form to the other. This is the foundation of the first law of thermodynamics and is referred to as the conservation of energy (Cai et al., 2005). A second law resulted from the law of conservation in the 19^th century by a physicist from Scotland called William Thomson, and a German physicist called Rudolf Clausius stated that “A cyclic transformation whose only final result is to transfer heat from a body at a given temperature to a body at a higher temperature is impossible” (Boltzmann 1974). The second law was propelled by the desire of engineers to create a machine that was able to transform energy from the surrounding in perpetuity.

In the constant endeavor by researchers to come up with a way to provide energy effectively, particularly self-sustaining energy during the industrial revolutions, came the invention of electromagnetism and the electric revolution. Faraday was an experimental physicist in the 19^th century who dedicated his work to electricity and magnetism. He was able to prove in 1831 that a magnet could induce electricity and was able to reveal that “electric current can be induced by moving a magnet, by turning an electromagnet on and off, and even by moving an electric wire in Earth’s magnetic field” (Tweney 1992). In 1830 independent of Faraday’s work, another physicist, Henry, had come to the discovery of electric induction. However, he held on to his discovery until reading Faraday’s work. In 1832, Henry interpreted self-induction where he could still produce electrical energy even after disconnecting from the battery (Tweney 1992).

Later, other forms of energy sprung from different regions in the world; for instance, solar-powered photovoltaic panels were discovered to possess the capability to convert the sun’s rays into electricity by “exciting electrons in silicon cells using the photons of light from the sun.” This energy was clean and renewable and a better option for many forms of energy. Renewable energy has been gaining popularity late into the 20^th century and in the early 21^st century, where environmental conservation has become a global goal. Similarly, the high cost of producing energy forced an entire field of research called energy economics that aims at coming up with efficient and effective ways to supply and use energy in human societies.

The fundamental importance of energy in the world had to eventually lead to policies and legislation by governments and organizations with regards to energy growth and usage, including the process of production, distribution, and consumption. As a valued commodity, energy production had to be regulated and subsidized to enable the running of both big and small firms. Similarly, as a commodity that its production resulted in the creation of waste that polluted the environment through aspects such as carbon emissions, global regulatory bodies had to come in to ensure the safety of future generation through the application of sustainable means of energy production, distribution, and usage. The path to the way we consume energy today has been long and full of discoveries. Today, nuclear energy promises to revolutionize the production of renewable energy, but at the same time, the same field also contains a threat to humanity, and all life should a miscalculation occur.

References

Boltzmann, L. (1974). The second law of thermodynamics. In Theoretical physics and philosophical problems (pp. 13-32). Springer, Dordrecht.

Cai, R. G., & Kim, S. P. (2005). The first law of thermodynamics and Friedmann equations of the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker universe. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2005(02), 050.

Tweney, R. D. (1992). Inventing the Field: Michael Faraday and the Creative of Electromagnetic Field Theory. Inventive minds: Creativity in technology, 31.