Global warming is problem of
thermodynamics, governed by the laws of thermodynamics.
The first law and second laws constrain the operation of
a heat engine.
The first law is the application of conservation of
energy to the system and shows how energy can be changed from one form to
another, but it cannot be created or destroyed.
The second law sets limits on the possible efficiency of
the machine and determines the direction of energy flow.
On the right is an idealized example of a heat engine.
