What is Energy?

Energy is the fuel that powers cellular process and bodily functions

• helps with the ability to move and change

• cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed

overall, it is the ability to work

• work = movement of matter

Laws of Thermodynamics

• 1. energy cannot be created or destroyed; energy is only transformed from one form to another

  • basic types/forms of energy

    • kinetic energy - energy in motion

    • potential energy - energy that is stored based on the position of matter

      • chemical energy - a type of potential energy stored in molecules based on position of atoms in molecules

• 2. with every energy transformation, the quality of energy decreases because entropy of the system increases

  • entropy - randomness or disorder in the system

  • higher entropy = lower potential energy in system

Law of Conservation of Matter

• matter cannot be created or destroyed; organisms simply rearrange atoms, changing matter from one form to another

• matter is continuously recycled; ex. photosynthesis using cellular respiration products, and cellular respiration creating photosynthetic reactants