What would be the consequences in physics if an exception to conservation of energy were found?

Question

I understand that the conservation laws are "foundational" in some sense, but I have not ever heard what would be implied by the discovery of an exception. I am a layman, so please explain in simple terms.

Thanks.

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Answer 1

It is simple: if the energy of something is not conserved, then it changes. Take a body in an external time-dependent force, and you will see the body energy is not conserved. The body moves with accelerations here and there, etc. Another example from thermodynamycs: you heat or cool some system, whose energy is thus not conserved. It symply means the system is not "closed", but "open" to external influences.