Thermodynamics

THE SCIENCE OF thermodynamics, a branch of physics, aims to describe transformations in energy. Thermodynamics comprises three laws. The first holds that energy can neither be created nor destroyed. Energy in various forms may be transformed into heat (thermal energy) and heat may be transformed into another form of energy so long as the total energy in the system remains constant. The second law states that entropy, a measure of the amount of energy dissipated as heat, increases over time in a closed system. The conversion of energy into heat increases the entropy of a system and the dissipation of heat likewise increases the entropy of a system. The third law states that as temperature approaches absolute zero, the theoretical minimum temperature in the universe, ...