Conservation laws are fundamental principles in physics that describe the behavior of physical systems. These laws are based on the idea of a closed system, where no external forces or influences are acting upon it. In a closed system, certain quantities remain constant over time, and these are referred to as conserved quantities.

One of the most well-known conservation laws is the conservation of energy. This law states that in a closed system, the total energy remains constant. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed but can only be transferred or transformed from one form to another. For example, when a ball is thrown into the air, its potential energy decreases as it gains kinetic energy, but the total energy of the system remains constant.

Another important conservation law is the conservation of mass. This law states that the total mass of a closed system remains constant. While mass can be converted into other forms of energy through processes like nuclear reactions, the total mass-energy of the system remains unchanged.

Conservation laws play a crucial role in understanding and predicting the behavior of physical systems. They provide a framework to analyze and interpret various phenomena, ranging from simple mechanical systems to complex interactions in the universe. By studying conservation laws, we can gain insights into the underlying principles that govern the dynamics of the world around us.