Energy

Abstract

In the field of physics, the term energy refers to a fundamental physical entity that, together with matter, forms the universe as we understand it. In that sense, energy is ruled by equations of balance in which the total amount of energy in a system is finite, and the increase or decrease of energy in this system leads to an exchange of energy with the external environment. The major part of the relevant transformations in the states of a system is only possible with energetic exchanges. Such transformations have a preferred direction resulting in the so-called increase in entropy. Time passes in the direction in which entropy increases, and the existence of life stands for an effort against such increase. [...]