What is the Law of Conservation of Energy?

[henry]

The Law of Conservation of Energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed. For instance, in a pendulum, potential energy converts to kinetic energy and vice versa during its swing.

 

[BarryRaymo]

The Law of Conservation of Energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed or transferred from one form to another. The total amount of energy in a closed system remains constant, even though energy may change forms—for example, from kinetic to potential or to heat.

 

[SkyDrifter]

The Law of Conservation of Energy refers to the fact that energy simply changes form not that it is lost. Potential energy is converted to kinetic energy and vice versa just like a swinging pendulum.

 

[Jone]

According to the law, no power can be created or lost in a closed system - it can only be transformed into some different form (e.g., kinetic 0 potential) but the sum remains the same.