Conservation and dissipation of energy key terms

Energy transfer

The movement of energy from one part of a system to another, which can be useful, stored, or dissipated.

Energy conservation

The principle that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed or transferred within a system.

closed system

A system where no energy is lost to the surroundings, resulting in no net change to total energy.

energy transfer

The movement of energy from one place or form to another within a system.

dissipated energy

Energy that is transferred into less useful forms, such as heat, during a system change.

less useful store

A form of energy, like thermal energy, that is not readily available for performing useful work.

wasted energy

Energy transferred in a system that is not used for useful work and is therefore considered less useful.

useful energy

Energy transferred in a system that is employed to perform work or achieve a desired outcome.

lubrication

The application of a substance to reduce friction between surfaces in contact, thereby minimizing unwanted energy transfers.

friction

The resistance that one surface or object encounters when moving over another, which can lead to energy dissipation.

thermal insulation

A method or material used to reduce the rate of heat transfer, thereby minimizing unwanted energy loss.

unwanted energy transfers

Energy transfers that do not contribute to the intended purpose of a system, often resulting in wasted energy.

thermal conductivity

A measure of a material's ability to conduct heat energy.

energy transfer by conduction

The process of heat energy moving through a material due to direct contact between particles.

wall thickness

The measurement of how thick a wall is, which influences the rate of heat loss from a building.

rate of cooling

The speed at which a building loses heat, affected by factors such as wall thickness and thermal conductivity.

thermal conductivity

The measure of a material's ability to conduct heat.

rate of cooling

The speed at which an object loses heat to its surroundings.

thermal insulation

A material that reduces unwanted energy transfer by limiting heat flow through conduction, convection or radiation.

insulation effectiveness

The ability of a material to resist heat transfer, often measured by its thermal resistance or low thermal conductivity.

thermal insulation

The method of reducing energy transfer by preventing heat loss through materials.

energy transfer

The process of moving energy from one system or store to another, which can be useful or wasted.

thermal insulation

Materials or methods used to reduce the rate of heat transfer.

practical techniques

Methods employed in experiments to investigate thermal insulation properties.

thermal conductivity

A measure of a material's ability to conduct heat.

insulation

The process of reducing heat transfer between objects or environments.

Efficiency

The ratio of useful energy output to total energy input, expressed as a decimal or percentage.

Useful energy output

The portion of energy that performs a desired work or function in a system, as opposed to energy lost as waste.

efficiency

A measure of how much useful energy or power is obtained from a system compared to the total energy or power input.

useful power output

The amount of power that is effectively used for the intended purpose in a system.