The total amount of energy in the universe never changes, but the availability of each different type of energy to do work can change tremendously. What best explains this change in available energy?(1 point)

Answer 1

The change in the availability of energy to do work can best be explained by the concept of entropy, as articulated in the Second Law of Thermodynamics. According to this law, in any energy transfer or transformation, the total entropy of a closed system will either increase or remain the same; it never decreases. This means that while the total energy remains constant, the quality and availability of that energy to perform useful work can diminish over time as systems evolve toward thermodynamic equilibrium. As energy is transformed from one form to another, some energy becomes more disordered and less available for doing work, leading to an overall increase in entropy.