Energy, Atomic.
The potential energy due to atomic relations set free by atomic change;
a form of chemical energy, because chemistry refers to molecular as well
as to atomic changes. When atomic energy loses the potential form it
immediately manifests itself in some other form, such as heat or
electric energy. It may be considered as always being potential energy.
(See Energy, Chemical.)
[Transcriber's note: This item refers to chemical energy, that is
manifest in work done by electric forces during re-arrangement of
electrons. Atomic energy now refers to re-arrangement of nucleons
(protons and neutrons) and the resulting conversion of mass into
energy.]
Energy, Chemical.
A form of potential energy (see Energy, Potential) possessed by elements
in virtue of their power of combining with liberation of energy, as in
the combination of carbon with oxygen in a furnace; or by compounds in
virtue of their power of entering into other combinations more
satisfying to the affinities of their respective elements or to their
own molecular affinity. Thus in a galvanic couple water is decomposed
with absorption of energy, but its oxygen combines with zinc with
evolution of greater amount of energy, so that in a voltaic couple the
net result is the setting free of chemical energy, which is at once
converted into electrical energy in current form, if the battery is on a
closed circuit.
Energy, Conservation of.
A doctrine accepted as true that the sum of energy in the universe is
fixed and invariable. This precludes the possibility of perpetual
motion. Energy may be unavailable to man, and in the universe the
available energy is continually decreasing, but the total energy is the
same and never changes.
[Transcriber's note: If mass is counted a energy (E=m*(c^2)) then energy
is strictly conserved.]
Energy, Degradation of.
The reduction of energy to forms in which it cannot be utilized by man.
It involves the reduction of potential energy to kinetic energy, and the
reduction of kinetic energy of different degrees to energy of the same
degree. Thus when the whole universe shall have attained the same
temperature its energy will have become degraded or non-available. At
present in the sun we have a source of kinetic energy of high degree, in
coal a source of potential energy. The burning of all the coal will be
an example of the reduction of potential to kinetic energy, and the
cooling of the sun will illustrate the lowering in degree of kinetic
energy. (See Energy, Conservation of--Energy, Potential--Energy,
Kinetic.)
Energy, Electric.
The capacity for doing work possessed by electricity
under proper conditions. Electric energy may be either kinetic or
potential. As ordinary mechanical energy is a product of force and
space, so electric energy is a product of potential difference and
quantity. Thus a given number of coulombs of electricity in falling a
given number of volts develop electric energy. The dimensions are found
therefore by multiplying electric current intensity quantity
((M^.5) * (L^.5)),
by electric potential
((M^.5)*(L^1.5) / (T^2)),
giving (M * (L^2)/(T^2)),
the dimensions of energy in general as it should be.
The absolute unit of electric energy in electro-magnetic measure is
(1E-7) volt coulombs.