Work is a force applied over a distance. Let us further define energy as a shifting back and forth, but never truly changing one thing: it's constancy.
The first law of thermodynamics: energy is conserved. Thermodynamics is the study of the movement of heat. This law instructs us that although the kind of energy in a given system can change, the total amount can't. Energy is able to travel seamlessly through systems, yet it never changes its structure or shape.
I find this concept enlightening, because you wouldn't normally think of energy as such a fluid movement. It seems more. I found it fascinating that all forms of energy are interchangeable. It makes one think about the potential of newer energy as well.
All objects hold some internal energy. That is, the kinetic energy of moving atoms. Conduction is discussed as the transfer of heat through collisions of electrons and atoms. Leaders at the University of Irvine that are studying the effect of aging, and specifically how the breakdown of DNA over time, effects aging.
The group at the University of Irvine has made a fruit fly live twice as long by their experiments. As they stated, it may only be a bit more time before scientists discover a way to reverse or slow down aging, if they can discover the cause.
Thermal conductivity, the study of how energy transfer occurs, sounds very interesting. Radiation, or the movement of infrared energy and light traveling across a room, until they absorb, are also important to the second law of thermodynamics as well, because it makes one think about the process of how atoms and energy move from place to place.
The concepts of electricity and magnetism can be explained very differently from how Sir Isaac Newton explained gravitational pulls. One learns that lightning is a result of electrical charges, which come about from the transfer of electrons. That makes one think about what is going on to cause the lightning bolt, rather than just running from them!
It's also important to note that objects with like charges experience a "get away from me" stance, while objects with opposite charges attract each other. We know that every Magnet has a north and south pole and those magnets exert forces on each other, and always contain two poles.
A compass will point at the earth's "dipole" magnetic field. Dipole is the magnetic field that arises from the two poles of a magnet. In the previous example of the earth, that would be the north and south poles. That's a long distance to carry forces!
That brings us to wavelengths, amplitude, and frequency. Science has discovered that ocean waves are transverse waves that move perpendicular to the direction of the waves. James Clark Maxwell discovered that electromagnetic radiation could travel through a vacuum at the speed of light. Before this, scientists must have really wondered how that happened.
Gamma rays are the highest energies in the spectrum, and they are used to treat tumors and other medical needs in hospitals. The rays cause the bad tissues to die, allowing the human to live on his/her excellent tissues. It really makes one think about what happens as light moves.
Knowing all of the above, how can we better make use of earth's energy? The answer is renewable energy. This type of energy use taps into natural cycles such as the movement of the wind and water, the heat and light of the sun, heat in the ground, and the carbohydrates in plants. These are all natural energy sources that can supply our needs in a sustainable way.
Current levels of renewable energy use represent only a tiny fraction of what could be developed in the United States. Since electricity generation is a leading cause of carbon dioxide emissions, something needs to be done soon.
Renewable energy will also help alleviate our polluted air, water, increase plant and animal life, and help deter global warming. It's tough though, because fossil fuels and nuclear energy are tough to compete with due to their widespread usage and politics.
Still though, I encourage you, write your congressman. Let them know that you are for renewable energy and you can even get petitions going in your area to see this come to pass. Over time, renewable energy sources could replace nuclear generation altogether. Furthermore, because renewable energy is homegrown, it can increase our energy security as a nation and create a ton of jobs as well.
