What is "degradation of energy"

Degradation \Deg`ra*da"tion\, n. [LL. degradatio, from degradare: cf. F. d['e]gradation. See Degrade.]

1. The act of reducing in rank, character, or reputation, or of abasing; a lowering from one's standing or rank in office or society; diminution; as, the degradation of a peer, a knight, a general, or a bishop.

   He saw many removes and degradations in all the other offices of which he had been possessed.
   --Clarendon.

2. The state of being reduced in rank, character, or reputation; baseness; moral, physical, or intellectual degeneracy; disgrace; abasement; debasement.

   The . . . degradation of a needy man of letters.
   --Macaulay.

   Deplorable is the degradation of our nature.
   --South.

   Moments there frequently must be, when a sinner is sensible of the degradation of his state.
   --Blair.

3. Diminution or reduction of strength, efficacy, or value; degeneration; deterioration.

   The development and degradation of the alphabetic forms can be traced.
   --I. Taylor (The Alphabet).

4. (Geol.) A gradual wearing down or wasting, as of rocks and banks, by the action of water, frost etc.

5. (Biol.) The state or condition of a species or group which exhibits degraded forms; degeneration.

   The degradation of the species man is observed in some of its varieties.
   --Dana.

6. (Physiol.) Arrest of development, or degeneration of any organ, or of the body as a whole.

   Degradation of energy, or Dissipation of energy (Physics), the transformation of energy into some form in which it is less available for doing work.

   Syn: Abasement; debasement; reduction; decline.

Energy \En"er*gy\, n.; pl. Energies. [F. ['e]nergie, LL. energia, fr. Gr.?, fr. ? active; ? in + ? work. See In, and Work.]

1. Internal or inherent power; capacity of acting, operating, or producing an effect, whether exerted or not; as, men possessing energies may suffer them to lie inactive.

   The great energies of nature are known to us only by their effects.
   --Paley.

2. Power efficiently and forcibly exerted; vigorous or effectual operation; as, the energy of a magistrate.

3. Strength of expression; force of utterance; power to impress the mind and arouse the feelings; life; spirit; -- said of speech, language, words, style; as, a style full of energy.

4. (Physics) Capacity for performing work.

   Note: The kinetic energy of a body is the energy it has in virtue of being in motion. It is measured by one half of the product of the mass of each element of the body multiplied by the square of the velocity of the element, relative to some given body or point. The available kinetic energy of a material system unconnected with any other system is that energy which is due to the motions of the parts of the system relative to its center of mass. The potential energy of a body or system is that energy which is not kinetic; -- energy due to configuration. Kinetic energy is sometimes called actual energy. Kinetic energy is exemplified in the vis viva of moving bodies, in heat, electric currents, etc.; potential energy, in a bent spring, or a body suspended a given distance above the earth and acted on by gravity.

   Accumulation, Conservation, Correlation, & Degradation of energy, etc. (Physics) See under Accumulation, Conservation, Correlation, etc.

   Syn: Force; power; potency; vigor; strength; spirit; efficiency; resolution.