Evolution and theory of conservation of energy

In summary, life on Earth is sustained by the constant incoming energy from the sun, which is dispersed and used by organisms to facilitate their growth and evolution.
  • #1
Manraj singh
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Life started from a single cell, right? And now we have countless number of cells on our planet. So is this like new matter being created? So there is more energy on the planet as of now? How is the energy on the planet being conserved? I possibly framed the question wrong, but I hope you understand. Thank you.
 
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  • #2
No new matter is being created; plants take stuff in from the ground and air, use that to create new plant cells.

Nor is there any problem with conservation of energy, as sunlight provides a steady supply of new energy from outside.
 
  • #3
Manraj singh said:
Life started from a single cell, right? And now we have countless number of cells on our planet. So is this like new matter being created? So there is more energy on the planet as of now? How is the energy on the planet being conserved? I possibly framed the question wrong, but I hope you understand. Thank you.

The Earth is not a closed system. You are forgetting one obvious source of constant energy to our planet: the sun! Examples such as photosynthesis of plants that provide us (and other animals that we eat) with food should clearly indicate that we have an external source of energy to the planet.

Zz.
 
  • #4
I've moved this to the biology forum. Manraj, you may be interested in the two stickied threads at the top of the forum. They contain a wealth of information and links to evolutionary topics.
 
  • #5
Q: "Life started from a single cell, right?"

A: So highly unlikely I wouldn't even consider it.

Very few species start with single organisms, and such extremely rare speciation events are all dependent on the reproductive barriers that modern organisms can put up:

"In biology, saltation (from Latin, saltus, "leap") is a sudden change from one generation to the next, that is large, or very large, in comparison with the usual variation of an organism. The term is used for nongradual changes (especially single-step speciation) that are atypical of, or violate gradualism - involved in modern evolutionary theory."

"Saltational speciation, also known as abrupt speciation, is the discontinuity in a lineage that occurs through genetic mutations, chromosomal aberrations or other evolutionary mechanisms that cause reproductively isolated individuals to establish a new species population. Polyploidy, karyotypic fission, symbiogenesis and lateral gene transfer are possible mechanisms for saltational speciation.[19]"

[ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltation_(biology) ]

We know that the requisite chemical populations existed (anoxic, reducing highly biochemical productive Hadean/Archean), and there is no reason why evolution didn't proceed as elsewhere: gradually and on large populations.

Q: "Life started from a single cell, right? And now we have countless number of cells on our planet."

A: Today's life descend from a LUCA, but it was very advanced. Like above there is no reason to believe that life didn't proceed pre-LUCA as elsewhere: 99.9 % of species go extinct.

Q: "Life started from a single cell, right? And now we have countless number of cells on our planet. So is this like new matter being created?"

No, it is like plants grow and food is consumed.

Q: "So there is more energy on the planet as of now?"

A:
- There is less energy in the core, as it has been cooling despite radioactive heating.

- There is more energy on the surface, as today's Sun output 25 % more radiation than the young Sun. (See the main sequence of stars.)

- The energy bound in bioproductivity depends on the environment, but also on evolved capacities (diversity). The most productive biosphere was perhaps in the Carboniferous, a hot, wet and already well diversified biosphere which a lot of today's kerogens comes from. (Kerogens are the carbon dominated results of biochemical breakdown in sediments, mostly coal and oil.) IIRC the estimates is today's Earth is 70 % as productive.

Q: " How is the energy on the planet being conserved?"

It isn't, a planet isn't a closed system but radiates incoming heat to the universe (and latent heat from the planet accretion, and potential energy from gravitational settling, and radioactively generated heat). This is required of a thermodynamic steady state such as our greenhouse atmosphere. The energy is dispersed, and life evolved in order to disperse it faster.

Originally to rust iron that plate tectonics and erosion released and to reduce CO2 to methane. Then other metabolisms evolved, which modify that a bit re material and energy used. Photosynthesis utilize irradiation instead.

Today most of the energy influx to the biosphere is from that large, yellow star that dominates the day sky. :D
 
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What is evolution?

Evolution is the process by which different species of organisms develop and change over time. It is driven by natural selection, genetic mutation, and other factors, and results in the diversity of life we see on Earth today.

What is the theory of conservation of energy?

The theory of conservation of energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but can only be transferred or converted from one form to another. This means that the total amount of energy in a closed system remains constant.

How does the theory of conservation of energy relate to evolution?

The theory of conservation of energy plays a crucial role in understanding the mechanisms of evolution. Energy is required for all biological processes, and the ability of organisms to obtain and use energy efficiently can contribute to their survival and reproductive success, resulting in evolutionary changes over time.

Can the theory of conservation of energy be applied to non-biological systems?

Yes, the theory of conservation of energy applies to all systems, not just biological ones. It is a fundamental principle in physics and is used to explain and predict the behavior of systems ranging from atoms to galaxies.

Is the theory of conservation of energy universally accepted?

Yes, the theory of conservation of energy is a well-established and widely accepted scientific principle. It has been extensively tested and confirmed through numerous experiments and observations, and is a fundamental concept in many fields of science.

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