A dinner plate drops and breaks. This best illustrates the ______ law of THERMODYNAMICS
A. 1st
b. 2nd
c. 3rd
d. 4th
I am inclined to say the 1st because energy can be neither created nor destroyed, it can only change forms. Thus the plate falling lost it's energy as a whole, but the peices gained energy...maybe...idk...help please!
Take a close look at the plate breaking, and Entropy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laws_of_thermodynamics
Thank you again, Mr. Bob!
You're on the right track! The correct answer is the 1st law of thermodynamics. To understand why, it's important to know what the 1st law states and how it relates to the situation.
The 1st law of thermodynamics, also known as the law of energy conservation, states that energy cannot be created or destroyed in an isolated system. Instead, it is transformed from one form to another or transferred between objects. This law applies to all types of energy, including mechanical, thermal, and chemical.
When a dinner plate drops and breaks, the potential energy stored in the plate due to its height above the ground is converted into kinetic energy as it falls. When the plate hits the ground, the kinetic energy is transferred to the ground and the plate fragments. At each step, the total energy remains constant, in accordance with the 1st law of thermodynamics.
The other options listed in the question are related to different laws of thermodynamics:
- The 2nd law of thermodynamics (option B) deals with the concept of entropy and the direction of heat transfer.
- The 3rd law of thermodynamics (option C) states that as the temperature approaches absolute zero, the entropy approaches a minimum value.
- The 4th law of thermodynamics (option D) does not exist. There are only three laws of thermodynamics.
So, the correct answer is A. 1st law of thermodynamics.