1. If a system is isolated, the total energy within that system is constant. Consider the case of a hot cup of coffee: when it cools down, the energy goes into the surrounding air, causing the air to warm. If the coffee and the air are placed in an isolated chamber, the total energy of the system (coffee + air) is constant because the energy lost by the coffee is exactly equal to the energy gained by the air. The only way for the total energy of a system to change is when it is not isolated, meaning that external forces or sources of energy interact with the system. If we want to define a system where the total energy is conserved, which one of the choices below would be the best system to consider?
A. The person
B. The person and the Earth
C. The Earth
2. Based on your answer to Question 1, why doesn’t the total energy of the Earth-person system change when the person goes up to a new height, gaining potential energy?