AEMCA Practice Exam

What does the law of conservation state about energy?

1. Energy can be created under certain conditions.

2. Energy cannot be destroyed or created but changes forms.

3. Energy is only conserved in closed systems.

4. Energy levels can fluctuate dramatically in open systems.

The correct answer is: Energy cannot be destroyed or created but changes forms.

The law of conservation of energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it can change from one form to another. This principle is fundamental to understanding various physical processes and systems in nature. For instance, when you consider an object falling, its potential energy is converted into kinetic energy as it descends. The total amount of energy remains constant throughout this transformation; it simply changes form, which is a key aspect of the conservation principle. Given this understanding, the other choices do not align with the established law of energy conservation. Energy creation and destruction are not supported by this law, making the first option inaccurate. While energy conservation principles can vary in closed versus open systems, it does not negate the broader law that applies universally, so the third choice isn't correct. Finally, while energy levels in a system fluctuate, saying they can fluctuate dramatically in open systems oversimplifies and misrepresents the nature of energy fluctuations as related to the conservation principle.