Comment by Silver on Perpetual Motion Beliefs · 2010-03-25T17:20:10.345Z · LW · GW

The example of solar panels and geothermal energy does not invalidate the second law of thermodynamics as both processes obey it. It can be experimentally proven that only a certain percentage of the heat energy in those examples is converted into electrical energy and that agrees well with the second law of thermodynamics as it is lower than the maximum predicted.

What I don’t agree with is the fact that most emphasize the so called strong form of the theorem that states that it is impossible to covert ambient thermal energy into work. While it is true that no exceptions have been found yet it is in fact not discounted by the weak version of the theorem i.e. the one that is based on statistical arguments.

Such statements causes a bias in the scientific community that could lead to any discoveries in that area to be ignored, and is as such not desirable to have, in first year physics textbooks especially. As they are based on a lack of physical proof instead of being based upon a known and accepted theoretical framework.