Thermodynamics is the study of the inter-relation between heat, work and internal energy of a system.
First Law of thermodynamics:
Mass-energy is neither created nor destroyed, but can be changed to a different form.
In any chemical reaction, matter is neither created nor destroyed but merely changes from one form into another (Antoine Lavoisier, 1785)
Later:
The law of conservation of energy: in any chemical reaction, energy is neither created nor destroyed, but only transformed (Julius Robert von Mayer, 1842).
Due to the discovery of this equation (by Albert Einstein1905):
E = mc2
It is now called the law of conservation of mass and energy.
This law implies: except for radioactive decay or very high-energy reactions, the amount of each element in a closed system remains the same. Any process on Earth that consistently moves elements from one place to another must be part of a CYCLE that moves elements back. Matter has to come from somewhere and go somewhere--Matter cycles
Based on this law, we infer that:
1. The total mass of planet Earth does not change to any significant degree through time (What are the potential sources of mass loss or addition to Earth?);
2. Any lasting movement of matter in the earth system has to take the form of cycling;
3. All elements participating in the living world have to go through biogeochemical cycles (What will happen if they do not cycle?).
The Second Law of Thermodynamics: The entropy of a closed system increases with time (or no process of energy transformation can be 100% efficient). This implies that energy sources have different qualities in terms of usability.
For more reading about the 2nd law, click these links: http://www.secondlaw.com/ or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_law_of_thermodynamics
The Third Law of Thermodynamics: No substance can be cooled to a temperature of absolute zero.
Absolute Zero = 0 Kelvins = -273.15° Celsius
For more reading about the 3rd law, click these links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_law_of_thermodynamics
