Which of the following is true?

• A. Systems with low potential energy tend to change in a direction of high potential energy by releasing energy into the surroundings.
• B. Energy is seldom conserved in a physical or chemical change.
• C. Potential energy cannot be destroyed; it can only be converted to thermal energy.
• D. In any process, the total quantity of energy involved is constant.
• E. Energy is the action of a force operating through a certain distance.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the law of conservation of energy, which states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another.
2. Recognize that potential energy is a form of stored energy that can be converted into other forms, such as kinetic or thermal energy, but the total energy remains constant.
3. Identify that systems with low potential energy tend to move towards a state of lower energy, often releasing energy to the surroundings, not towards higher potential energy.
4. Acknowledge that energy is always conserved in physical and chemical changes, meaning the total energy before and after a process remains the same.
5. Clarify that energy is defined as the capacity to do work, which involves a force acting over a distance, but this definition does not imply energy is not conserved.