What is "dissipation 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.

Dissipation \Dis`si*pa"tion\ (d[i^]s`s[i^]*p[=a]"sh[u^]n), n.

1. The act of dissipating or dispersing; a state of dispersion or separation; dispersion; waste.

   Without loss or dissipation of the matter.
   --Bacon.

   The famous dissipation of mankind.
   --Sir M. Hale.

2. A dissolute course of life, in which health, money, etc., are squandered in pursuit of pleasure; profuseness in vicious indulgence, as late hours, riotous living, etc.; dissoluteness.

   To reclaim the spendthrift from his dissipation and extravagance.
   --P. Henry.

3. A trifle which wastes time or distracts attention.

   Prevented from finishing them [the letters] a thousand avocations and dissipations.
   --Swift.

   Dissipation of energy. Same as Degradation of energy, under Degradation.