Laws of Conservation of Energy

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the Law of Conservation of Energy, particularly questioning how energy came into existence if it cannot be created or destroyed. Participants explore the implications of this law in various contexts, including theoretical and conceptual understandings, and the nature of the universe.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants assert that energy is never created but is transferred through the breakdown or creation of matter, though they express uncertainty about this understanding.
  • There is a repeated inquiry about the origins of energy, suggesting that the Law of Conservation of Energy may need to be supplemented by another law to explain how energy came into being.
  • One participant introduces the concept of singularities, arguing that the laws of physics, including the conservation of energy, do not apply in such conditions, particularly in black holes and the Big Bang, where matter may be created or destroyed.
  • Another participant suggests that the Law of Conservation of Energy should be understood as applying only in a closed system, prompting further questions about the universe's status as a closed system and its boundary conditions.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the applicability of the Law of Conservation of Energy, particularly in relation to singularities and the universe's boundaries. There is no consensus on how energy originated or the implications of the law in various contexts.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight the need for clarification regarding the definitions of closed systems and the conditions under which the conservation laws apply, indicating potential limitations in their understanding of these concepts.

Ralph Spencer
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(Please make it a bit easy for a newbie student)
Law of Conservation of Energy states that energy can neither be created nor be destroyed. Then how did it ever come into being?

Thanks
 
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Energy is never created. It is constantly transferred through the breakdown or creation of matter.

Or atleast that's what i'd gathered from studying. Don't quote me on it - correct me if I'm wrong.
 
Ralph Spencer said:
(Please make it a bit easy for a newbie student)
Law of Conservation of Energy states that energy can neither be created nor be destroyed. Then how did it ever come into being?

Thanks


So energy exists as ever, it is not created at least according to the Law of Conservation of Energy. We may need another Law to understand how it come into being.
 
In a place where the curvature in space-time is infinite or near infinite the laws of physics break down and do not apply. This is called a singularity, it occurs in black holes and of course, the Big Bang Singularity which created most of the matter in the Universe. The aforementioned first law of thermodynamics does not hold inside a singularity and matter may be created or destroyed, as was demonstrated by the Big Bang.
 
Ralph Spencer said:
(Please make it a bit easy for a newbie student)
Law of Conservation of Energy states that energy can neither be created nor be destroyed. Then how did it ever come into being?

Thanks

That statement needs to be slightly amended to "Law of Conservation of Energy states that energy can neither be created nor be destroyed *in a closed system*". The correct way to ask your question is then "is the universe a closed system" or equivalently, "what are the boundary conditions on the universe"?

What is north of the north pole?
 

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