Final answer:
No, according to the second law of thermodynamics, energy output can never be more than the energy input. The second law states that energy transfer is never completely efficient and useful energy is always decreasing.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that you can't get more work out of a machine than the amount of energy that you put in is true according to the second law of thermodynamics. Essentially, this law asserts that energy transfers and transformations are not 100% efficient because some energy is always lost, often as heat, resulting in a more disordered system. The second law further specifies that the amount of energy available to do useful work is always on the decrease.
To put it succinctly, the option b. No, according to the second law of thermodynamics, energy output can never be more than the energy input is correct. This principle dictates a one-way flow for the transformation of energy and matter, where it's impossible to return to the original state without additional input from external sources.
To support this, one expression of the second law states that it is impossible in any system for heat transfer from a reservoir to completely convert to work in a cyclical process in which the system returns to its initial state. Hence, this reinforces the idea that the concept of a perpetual motion machine is infeasible.