Thermodynamics and its Implication

The laws of thermodynamics define physical quantities, such as temperature, energy,

and entropy, that characterize thermodynamic systems at thermodynamic equilibrium. The laws
describe the relationships between these quantities, and form a basis of precluding the possibility
of certain phenomena, such as perpetual motion. In addition to their use in thermodynamics, they
are important fundamental laws of physics in general, and are applicable in other
natural sciences.
Thermodynamics has traditionally recognized three fundamental laws, simply named by an
ordinal identification, the first law, the second law, and the third law. In addition, after the first
three laws were established, it was recognized that another law, more fundamental to all three,
could be stated, which was named the Zeroth law.
The zeroth law of thermodynamics defines thermal equilibrium and forms a basis for the
definition of temperature: if two systems are each in thermal equilibrium with a third system,
they are in thermal equilibrium with each other.
The first law of thermodynamics: when energy passes into or out of a system (as work, as heat,
or with matter), the system's internal energy changes in accord with the law of conservation of
energy. Equivalently, perpetual motion machines of the first kind (machines that produce work
with no energy input) are impossible.
The second law of thermodynamics: in a natural thermodynamic process, the sum of the
entropies of the interacting thermodynamic systems increases. Equivalently, perpetual motion
machines of the second kind (machines that spontaneously convert thermal energy into
mechanical work) are impossible.
The third law of thermodynamics: the entropy of a system approaches a constant value as the
temperature approaches absolute zero. With the exception of non-crystalline solids (glasses) the
entropy of a system at absolute zero is typically close to zero.
Additional laws have been suggested, but none of them achieved the generality of the four
accepted laws, and are not discussed in standard textbooks.
Law of conservation of energy 

In physics and chemistry, the law of conservation of energy states that the total energy of

an isolated system remains constant; it is said to be conserved over time.[1] This law first
proposed and tested by émilie du châtelet, means that energy can neither be created nor
destroyed; rather, it can only be transformed or transferred from one form to another. For
instance, chemical energy is converted to kinetic energy when a stick of dynamite explodes. If
one adds up all forms of energy that were released in the explosion, such as the kinetic
energy and potential energy of the pieces, as well as heat and sound, one will get the exact
decrease of chemical energy in the combustion of the dynamite. Classically, conservation of
energy was distinct from conservation of mass; however, special relativity showed that mass is
related to energy and vice versa by e = mc2, and science now takes the view that mass–energy as
a whole is conserved. theoretically, this implies that any object with mass can itself be converted
to pure energy, and vice versa, though this is believed to be possible only under the most extreme
of physical conditions, such as likely existed in the universe very shortly after the big bang or
when black holes emit hawking radiation.

Implication on Biology (Ecology)

The laws of thermodynamics are important unifying principles of biology. these principles
govern the chemical processes (metabolism) in all biological organisms. The first law of
thermodynamics, also known as the law of conservation of energy, states that energy can neither
be created nor destroyed. It may change from one form to another, but the energy in a closed
system remains constant.

The second law of thermodynamics states that when energy is transferred, there will be less
energy available at the end of the transfer process than at the beginning. Due to entropy, which is
the measure of disorder in a closed system, all of the available energy will not be useful to the
organism. Entropy increases as energy is transferred.

In addition to the laws of thermodynamics, the cell theory, gene theory, evolution, and
homeostasis form the basic principles that are the foundation for the study of life.

First Law of Thermodynamics in Biological Systems

All biological organisms require energy to survive. In a closed system, such as the universe, this
energy is not consumed but transformed from one form to another. Cells, for example, perform a
number of important processes. These processes require energy. In photosynthesis, the energy is
supplied by the sun. Light energy is absorbed by cells in plant leaves and converted to chemical
energy. The chemical energy is stored in the form of glucose, which is used to form complex
carbohydrates necessary to build plant mass.

The energy stored in glucose can also be released through cellular respiration. This process
allows plant and animal organisms to access the energy stored in carbohydrates, lipids, and other
macromolecules through the production of ATP. This energy is needed to perform cell functions
such as DNA replication, mitosis, meiosis, cell movement, endocytosis, exocytosis, and
apoptosis.

Second Law of Thermodynamics in Biological Systems

As with other biological processes, the transfer of energy is not 100 percent efficient. In
photosynthesis, for example, not all of the light energy is absorbed by the plant. Some energy is
reflected and some is lost as heat. The loss of energy to the surrounding environment results in
an increase of disorder or entropy. Unlike plants and other photosynthetic organisms, animals
cannot generate energy directly from the sunlight. They must consume plants or other animal
organisms for energy.

The higher up an organism is on the food chain, the less available energy it receives from its
food sources. Much of this energy is lost during metabolic processes performed by the producers
and primary consumers that are eaten. Therefore, much less energy is available for organisms at
higher trophic levels. (trophic levels are groups that help ecologists understand the specific role
of all living things in the ecosystem.) The lower the available energy, the less number of
organisms can be supported. This is why there are more producers than consumers in an
ecosystem.

Living systems require constant energy input to maintain their highly ordered state. Cells, for
example, are highly ordered and have low entropy. In the process of maintaining this order, some
energy is lost to the surroundings or transformed. So while cells are ordered, the processes
performed to maintain that order result in an increase in entropy in the cell's/organism's
surroundings. The transfer of energy causes entropy in the universe to increase.

Thermodynamics and Economics

Two major laws of physics — the first and second laws of thermodynamics — are, respectively,
the law of conservation of mass/energy and the so-called "entropy law". The law of mass/energy
conservation reduces in practice to two conditions that must be satisfied by any physical change
or transformation whatever and, by extension, to any economic activity involving physical
materials. Except for nuclear reactions, mass and energy are not inter-convertible in practice.
Hence, the conservation of mass/energy implies separate conservation rules for energy and mass.
The law of conservation of energy implies that energy inputs must equal energy outputs for any
transformation process, but this rule is surprisingly lacking in practical significance for reasons
that will be seen later. The law of mass conservation, on the other hand, is far from trivial. The
so-called "mass balance principle" states that mass inputs must equal mass outputs for every
process (or process step), and that this must be true separately for each chemical element. In the
first place, this condition implies that all resources extracted from the environment must
eventually become unwanted wastes and pollutants. This means, among other things, that
"externalities" (market failures) associated with production and consumption are actually
pervasive and that they tend to grow in importance as the economy grows.

The first law of thermodynamics (conservation of mass) implies that mass outputs from any
process equal mass inputs. However, useful outputs are almost invariably a fraction of total
inputs, sometimes a small fraction (as in the case of refining low grade ores).
In some cases, the output mass is entirely wasted, as with combustion processes. Thus wastes are
an unavoidable by-product of physical production.
The law of mass conservation, on the other hand, is far from trivial. The so-called 'mass-
balance principle' states that mass inputs must equal mass outputs for every chemical process (or
process step), and that this must be true separately for each chemical element.17 All resources
extracted from the environment must eventually become unwanted wastes and pollutants. Waste
emissions are not exceptional phenomena that can be neglected or treated as exceptions. The
standard multi-sector economic model of commodities produced from other commodities is
misleading.
It follows, too, that virtually all products are really joint products, except that wastes have no
positive market value. On the contrary, they have, in most cases, a negative value. A producer of
wastes will need a 'sink' for disposal. Options for free disposal are becoming rarer. Producers
must, increasingly, pay to have waste residuals removed and treated, safely disposed of, or
recycled. The implication that there exists a price-determined equilibrium between supply and
demand (of commodities) must therefore be modified fundamentally.
This means, among other things, that 'externalities' (market failures) associated with production
and consumption of materials are actually pervasive and that they tend to grow in importance as
the economy itself grows. Materials recycling can help (indeed, it must), but recycling is energy
(energy) intensive and (thanks to the second law) imperfect, so it cannot fully compensate for a
declining natural resource base. Long-term sustainability must depend to a large extent upon
dematerialization and 'decoupling' of economic welfare from the natural resource base.
The mass-balance condition provides powerful tools for estimating process wastes and losses for
industrial processes, or even whole industries, where these cannot be determined directly. Even
where other data are available, the mass-balance condition offers a means of verification and
interpolation, to fill in gaps.
Thermodynamics and Society/Politics

The second law of thermodynamics states that every isolated body becomes more disordered
with time. The second law basically states that matter left to itself will decay, deteriorate, run
down and die unless acted upon by an outside force.

This law primarily applies to the natural, material world. Our houses need paint after a while,
cars need increasing repairs as they age, our clothes wear out, things rust, and the items on my
desk go from order to disorder.

The First Law of Thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed; the total
quantity of energy in the universe stays the same.
The Second Law of Thermodynamics is about the quality of energy. It states that as energy is
transferred or transformed, more and more of it is wasted.  In other words, all processes result in
an increase in entropy, or disorder.  
A tree falls to the ground and decays. Order to disorder. A person dies and the body decays.
Order to Disorder.  A country is built on the strength and independence of the individual, then
devolves to weakness and total dependence on an ever more dominating and controlling
government.  Order to Disorder.  A government begins as a lean, efficient entity, and becomes
overwhelmingly chaotic, contradictory and controlling of a weaker, dependent
individual. Order to Disorder.  A strong and independent population devolves into a weak,
dependent and entitled populace. Order to Disorder.

References
1.  Buchdahl, H.A. (1966), The Concepts of Classical Thermodynamics, Cambridge
University Press, London, pp. 30, 34ff, 46f, 83.
2. ^ *Münster, A. (1970), Classical Thermodynamics, translated by E.S. Halberstadt,
Wiley–Interscience, London, ISBN 0-471-62430-6, p. 22.
3. ^ Pippard, A.B. (1957/1966). Elements of Classical Thermodynamics for Advanced
Students of Physics, original publication 1957, reprint 1966, Cambridge University
Press, Cambri
4.  Alberty R (2004). "A short history of the thermodynamics of enzyme-catalyzed
reactions". J Biol Chem. 279 (27): 27831–
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5. ^ Akihiko Ito & Takehisa Oikawa. "Global Mapping of Terrestrial Primary Productivity
and Light-Use Efficiency with a Process-Based Model". In M. Shiyomi; et al.
(eds.). Global Environmental Change in the Ocean and on Land (PDF). pp. 343–358.
6. ^ M.J. Farabee. "Reactions and Enzymes". On-Line Biology Book. Estrella Mountain
Community College. Archived from the original on 2012-12-28. Retrieved 2006-09-26.
7. ^ Haynie, Donald T. (2001). Biological Thermodynamics. Cambridge University Press.
pp. 1–16.
8. ^ Skene, Keith (July 31, 2015). "Life's a Gas: A Thermodynamic Theory of Biological
Evolution". Entropy. 17 (12): 5522–5548. doi:10.3390/e17085522. S2CID 2831061.
9. ^ Haynie, Donald T. (2001). Biological Thermodynamics. Cambridge
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10. ^ Stacy, Ralph W., David T. Williams, Ralph E. Worden, and Rex O. McMorris.
Essentials of Biological and Medical Physics. New York: McGraw-Hill Book, 1955.
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