Ikkekonserverende

Ikkekonserverende is a Norwegian term used to describe processes or systems in which a given quantity is not conserved. The word is a combination of ikke (not) and konserverende (conserving), and it is often used in science contexts to indicate that a quantity does not remain constant over time or under evolution of the system.

In physics and engineering, ikkekonserverende describes situations where conservative laws do not apply for a subsystem. For example, mechanical energy is not conserved in the presence of non-conservative forces such as friction or air resistance, and momentum may change when external forces act on the system. In thermodynamics and open-system analysis, energy and matter can flow in and out of the system, leading to non-conservation within the chosen boundaries. In electrical engineering or control theory, external driving forces or dissipative elements can render certain state quantities ikkekonserverende.

It is important to distinguish ikkekonserverende from the broader idea of total conservation. Often, the total energy or mass of a closed or extended system remains conserved, while a specific subsystem or a particular quantity within a model may be ikkekonserverende due to external inputs, dissipation, or time-dependent conditions. The term is commonly used as a descriptive label in teaching and explanatory writing rather than as a formal technical designation.

Etymologically, the term derives from ikke (not) and konserverende (preserving), signaling the lack of conservation for the described quantity.