Wuwei
Gold Member
- Apr 18, 2015
- 5,341
- 1,176
- 255
NO. The 2nd law means that it is not possible for thermal energy to move spontaneously from cool to warm.
energy is energy...there is no form of energy that is exempt from the second law..every form of energy from photons to a boulder sitting at the top of a hill must adhere to the second law...
The word thermodynamics is in the phrase "the second law of thermodynamics for a reason" That law says nothing about boulders or potential energy.
Here is where you are confused:
Yes, energy is always energy.
Thermal energy is always energy.
Not all energy is thermal energy.
A boulders on a hill is potential energy. If you want to talk about what boulders might do, you have to look at the more encompassing theory of the SLoT in terms of entropy not in terms of heat flow.
I hope that helps.