Is the Law of Conservation of Energy Valid in a Non-Local Context?

[Kyle Nemeth]

Is it accepted that the law of conservation of energy can be considered in a non-local context? If this is not accepted, then why not?

 

[jbriggs444]

Is it accepted that the law of conservation of energy can be considered in a non-local context? If this is not accepted, then why not?

In the context of Newtonian mechanics, energy is strictly and globally conserved.
In the context of special relativity, energy is strictly and globally conserved.

In the context of general relativity, energy is conserved locally but global energy conservation is not simple. One way of seeing this is to realize that there is no fixed global concept of simultaneity. So there is no fixed meaning to an assertion that total energy "now" is the same as total energy "a moment ago".

 

[Nugatory]

This link will be of interest: http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/Relativity/GR/energy_gr.html