Which of the following is consistent with the laws of physics governing energy?
A) Eventually, sunlight that is absorbed on the earth returns to the atmosphere as dispersed heat.
B) You eat a "quarter-pounder" hamburger and add exactly a quarter-pound of additional weight to your body.
C) When a liter of gasoline is burned in a car engine, 100% of its energy goes into moving the car along the road.
D) A calorie of sunlight becomes a calorie of plant tissue.
E) A calorie of plant tissue, which when eaten by you, becomes a calorie of muscle "power."

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Energy absorbed by the Earth from sunlight is eventually re-emitted as heat, consistent with the conservation of energy. Other options incorrectly imply 100% energy conversion efficiency or direct mass-energy equivalence without losses, which contradicts the laws of thermodynamics.

Which of the Following Is Consistent with the Laws of Physics