B Generating Energy from Molecular Motion

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Molecular motion is constant, but it cannot be harnessed for perpetual motion machines due to the finite energy available in random molecular movement. When energy from this motion is converted into useful work, it diminishes the energy present in the molecular motion itself. While machines like Stirling engines and thermionic generators can convert thermal energy into mechanical or electrical energy, they do not achieve perpetual motion. The conservation of energy principle dictates that using this energy means it is no longer available in its original form. Ultimately, perpetual motion remains impossible despite the continuous nature of molecular motion.
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This question really troubles me.
Since we all know that the molecules are in perpetual random motion, why can't we make a perpetual motion machine by using molecular's always-moving energy??

I‘m a Grade 9 student and I'm unsure about this.

:doh::doh::doh:
 
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Hi @painter and welcome to PF!

You seem to be aware that perpetual motion machines are impossible, which is good. You just need to recognize that the word "perpetual" is the key. In the case of random motion of molecules, any such collection of molecules only has a finite amount of energy in it due to random motion. You could conceivably convert that finite amount of energy into some other form to do useful work (though even then there are other limitations involved), but that wouldn't be "perpetual" motion because once that finite amount of energy was used up, you would be done: there would be no more energy left and whatever you were doing with the energy would stop. The reason the random motion of molecules is "perpetual" is that the energy in that random motion isn't being converted into anything else; it's not doing any useful work at all.
 
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painter said:
it MUST have lost some of its energy when being converted into something else (is that?)
That's right: by conservation of energy, if you use some of the energy contained in the random motion of molecules for something else, that energy is no longer there in the random motion of molecules.
 
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PeterDonis said:
Moderator's note: Thread moved to Classical Physics forum.
And thank you for moving the thread to a right place-----I'm new here and I really have no idea where to put it.
 
PeterDonis said:
That's right: by conservation of energy, if you use some of the energy contained in the random motion of molecules for something else, that energy is no longer there in the random motion of molecules.
I got it !! Thank you veeeeery much😃😃😃🤩
 
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painter said:
I got it !! Thank you veeeeery much😃😃😃🤩
You're welcome!
 
painter said:
Since we all know that the molecules are in perpetual random motion, why can't we make a perpetual motion machine by using molecular's always-moving energy??
We can already make machines that take advantage of a "molecule's always-moving energy". That's thermal energy, and machines that convert heat into other forms of work already exist. A stirling cycle engine does converts heat into mechanical motion, and thermionic generators can convert heat into electricity (at its most basic level, so does a thermocouple).

None of this is perpetual motion, however. When you extract heat energy from a material, the motion of its molecules decreases.
 
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While I like Feynman's treatment, I would not suggest it to a 9th grader.
 

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