Chapter 6 An Introduction to Metabolism Forms of Energy Energy is the ability to do work or cause change Kinetic energy is the energy of motion Thermal energy is associated with the movement of atoms/molecules Heat is the transfer of thermal energy from one object to another Potential energy is the energy possessed by matter due to its location or structure Chemical energy is a type of potential energy Thermodynamics Thermodynamics is the study of energy transformations The First Law of Thermodynamics Energy can be transferred and/or transformed, but neither created nor destroyed The Second Law of Thermodynamics Energy transformations favor a more disorderly state, increasing entropy Entropy Entropy is a measure of the disorder, or randomness, of a system