Question

A design team is creating a system of electrical transfer materials to carry electricity generated from a power plant to the electrical grid so it can be transmitted to residences and businesses. The design team is evaluating different materials in order to try to maximize the efficiency of the transfer of the electricity and the cost analysis team wants the ensure that the materials used are the least expensive. What principle is the design team acknowledging that the cost analysis team is ignoring?

A The design team is evaluating different materials because the first Law of Thermodynamics states that energy transfer is always 100% efficiency. The design team is evaluating different materials because the first Law of Thermodynamics states that energy transfer is always 100% efficiency.

B The design team is evaluating different materials because the law of conservation of matter states that electricity cannot be generated from matter.The design team is evaluating different materials because the law of conservation of matter states that electricity cannot be generated from matter.

C The design team is evaluating different materials because the second law of Newtonian motion states that power is equal to work performed per unit time.The design team is evaluating different materials because the second law of Newtonian motion states that power is equal to work performed per unit time.

D The design team is evaluating different materials because the second Law of Thermodynamics states that energy transfer always includes a loss of usable energy.

Answer 1

The design team is considering the second Law of Thermodynamics, which posits that energy transfers always include a loss of usable energy, making any conversion process inherently inefficient. (option D)

Step-by-step explanation:

The principle that the design team is acknowledging but the cost analysis team is ignoring is the second Law of Thermodynamics, which states that energy transfer always includes a loss of usable energy. This law explains why no process of energy conversion, such as transforming heat into electrical energy in power stations, can ever be 100% efficient, regardless of the method or materials used. In contrast, the cost analysis team focuses solely on the expenses, searching for the least expensive materials without considering the efficiency losses due to thermodynamic principles.

As the second law of thermodynamics highlights, during each energy transfer, some energy is invariably lost in a form that cannot be used, typically as heat. This loss of energy contributes to a more disordered system, and it is a fundamental limitation on the efficiency that can be achieved. It is not caused by engineering deficiencies or inferior materials, nor is it a part of any corporate conspiracy to sell more energy; it is an unbreakable rule of nature governing how heat transfer and work are interconnected.