ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Energy drift

Energy drift is like riding on a swing. Imagine you and your friend are on a swing. At first, you start swinging at the same height, and you are both very happy. But over time, your swing starts to go higher and higher, while your friend's swing stays the same. That's energy drift!

Just like the swing, energy can also drift. Energy is like the power that makes things move or work. When we talk about energy drift, we mean that the energy in a system is changing over time.

For example, imagine a toy car that's powered by batteries. The batteries give the car energy to move. When the batteries are brand new, the car can move very quickly. But as the batteries start to get old and run out of energy, the car moves more slowly. That's energy drift!

Energy drift can happen in all kinds of systems, not just toys. It can happen in machines, buildings, and even in our bodies. When the energy in a system drifts too much, it can cause problems. For example, if a machine is supposed to produce a certain product at a certain rate, but the energy drifts too much, the machine might produce less than it should.

So, when we talk about energy drift, we mean that the energy in a system is changing over time, and this can cause problems if the energy drifts too much.