Question

An automobile engine is about 20 to 30% efficient in converting chemical energy to mechanical energy. Cells are about 39% efficient in the transformation of glucose to ATP. The rest of the energy is lost as heat. This is illustrative of the

Answer 1

The question deals with energy conversion efficiency in both engineering (automobile engines) and biological systems (cell metabolism), highlighting the limitations in energy conversion where a significant portion of energy is lost as heat.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student's question highlights a fundamental concept called energy conversion efficiency. This refers to the percentage of input energy that is converted to useful work, with the remainder typically dissipated as heat. In the context of engineering and biological systems, efficiency varies widely. For example, an automobile engine is about 20 to 30% efficient in converting chemical energy to mechanical energy, while cells are about 39% efficient in transforming glucose to ATP. This illustrates the inherent limitations of thermodynamic efficiency in both human-made machines and natural biological processes.

Answer 2

Second Law of Thermodynamics

Step-by-step explanation:

The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that the entropy, which can be defined as the state of disorder in a given system, will always increase across time. This Law poses that the processes of energy transfer, as well as those involving energy transformation, increase the entropy of the universe. As a predictable consequence, the Second Law of Thermodynamics also states that organisms (which represent thermodynamically closed systems) are in a continuous battle against the constant increase in the entropy of the universe, where energy is essentially lost in the form of heat.