Free Energy

Free energy may refer to:

In science:

  • Thermodynamic free energy, the energy in a physical system that can be converted to do work, in particular:
    • Helmholtz free energy, the energy that can be converted into work at a constant temperature and volume
    • Work content, a related concept used in chemistry
    • Gibbs free energy, the energy that can be converted into work at a uniform temperature and pressure throughout a system
  • Variational free energy, a construct from Information theory that is used in Variational Bayesian methods

In pseudoscience:

  • Free energy device, a hypothetical device that creates energy in a hypothetical isolated system, i.e. without any external input, thereby contradicting the laws of thermodynamics
  • Free energy suppression, a conspiracy theory that advanced energy technologies are being suppressed by special interest groups

In music

  • Free Energy (band), a 5-piece rock band on DFA Records

Famous quotes containing the words free and/or energy:

    “Democracy shows not only its power in reforming governments, but in regenerating a race of men—and this is the greatest blessing of free governments.”
    —Andrew Jackson (1767–1845)

    “A government deriving its energy from the will of the society, and operating, by the reason of its measures, on the understanding and interest of the society ... is the government for which philosophy has been searching and humanity been fighting from the most remote ages ... which it is the glory of America to have invented, and her unrivalled happiness to possess.”
    —James Madison (1751–1836)