Which statement describes what happens to the energy that is "lost" by a system?
A) It becomes equal to the energy the system creates.
B) It is converted to lower-quality energy.
C) It is converted into an equal amount of matter.
D) It returns to the system eventually.

Question

Which statement describes what happens to the energy that is "lost" by a system? 
A) It becomes equal to the energy the system creates. 
B) It is converted to lower-quality energy. 
C) It is converted into an equal amount of matter. 
D) It returns to the system eventually.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The energy that is "lost" by a system is converted to lower-quality energy due to the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but can only be converted from one form to another. As energy is transformed, some of it becomes less useful or less available for additional transformations. This is known as entropy, and it leads to a decrease in the quality of energy as it is used by an increasingly complex system.

Which Statement Describes What Happens to the Energy That Is