Mr. jones, the science teacher, tells his students that energy cannot be created; it must be captured from the environment. he is talking about the

a)food chain
b)second law of thermodynamics
c)first law of thermodynamics
d)food web

The question here is one after a lesson discussing the laws of thermodynamics. Within this lesson, you may find the fallowing passage: "According to the first law, an organism can absorb energy from its environment, or it can give up some of its energy to its surroundings. However, the total energy of the organism and its surroundings is always the same. The organism can't create the energy it needs to live. Instead, it must capture it from the environment. Once it captures energy, the organism can use the energy for its own biological work."

First Law of Thermodynamics

you did not attach the discourse, but i assume it to be the discourse on the origin and basis of inequality among men (the original titile in french is: "discours sur l'origine et les fondements de l'inégalité parmi les hommes"), also know as "second discourse". in this discourse, jean-jacques rousseau emphasizes that private property is the basis of all inequalities.

therefore, what enabled the old regime to maintain as long as it did was private property.