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2.1 Introduction
The major sources of energy, aside from human and animal power, are petroleum resources,
natural gas, coal, hydropower, biomass, geothermal, nuclear, wind and solar. Theoretically these re-
sources can be substituted for one another in order to perform a specific task. However, in practice,
substitution would be subject to technical and economic limitations that circumscribe the use of such
energy resources for specific purposes at given locations and periods of time. Few energy resources are
used and consumed at the same location in which they are found, and most of them require generally
elaborate transportation and conversion facilities to make them useful for performing the intended task.
Analysis of energy resources, therefore, should cover availability and also the production, processing
and distribution facilities.2.2 Energy Science
Science is a systematized body of knowledge about any department of nature, internal or external
to man. The energy science deals with scientific principles, characteristics, laws, rules, units/dimen-
sions, measurements, processes etc. about various forms of energy and energy transformations. Science
involves experimentation, measurement, mathematical calculations, laws, observations, etc.
Energy science has interface with every other science. Energy science is the mother science of
physics, thermodynamics, electromagnetic, nuclear science, mechanical science, chemical science, bio-
sciences etc. Each science deals with some ‘activity’. Energy is the essence of activities. Energy man-
agement has national priority.
Energy science focusses attention on the ‘energy’ and ‘energy transformations’ involved in the
various other branches of science, to National Economy and Civilization.
2.3 Various Energy Science
PHYSICS: It is a branch of natural science dealing with properties and changes in matter and
energy. Physics deals with continuous changes in matter and energy and includes mechanics, electro
magnetic, heat, optics, nuclear energy etc. and laws governing the energy transformations. Physicists
have developed energy science.
THERMODYNAMICS: It is a branch of physics dealing with transformation of thermal energy
into other forms of energy, especially mechanical energy and laws governing the conversions. Ther-
modynamics plays a dominant role in Energy Technologies.