Stormlight Conservation of Energy

[Father Tanner]

So I know this is fantasy, but Brandon Sanderson always tries to base everything around actual physics (which i love!!!); so I wonder if there is an explanation for this. Light is a form of energy, which can neither be created nor destroyed. We learn in the Stormlight archives that a perfect crystal structure can pretty much hold a set amount of Stormlight indefinitely while continuously giving off light. Is not this a violation of the Conservation of Energy? Once a set amount of Stormlight is infused into the gemstone, should it not countinuously diminish in light over time given the simple fact that it shines. Unless there is a connection to the spiritual realm i don't understand yet, it could not give off light indefinitely as that would make it a perpetual energy source. My reasoning says that if a gemstone can hold Stormlight indefinitely, it would have to give off no light whatsoever. I am not trying to troll here, but am honestly curious to see if there is an explanation for this.

[Rorzikel]

10 hours ago, Father Tanner said:

So I know this is fantasy, but Brandon Sanderson always tries to base everything around actual physics (which i love!!!); so I wonder if there is an explanation for this. Light is a form of energy, which can neither be created nor destroyed. We learn in the Stormlight archives that a perfect crystal structure can pretty much hold a set amount of Stormlight indefinitely while continuously giving off light. Is not this a violation of the Conservation of Energy? Once a set amount of Stormlight is infused into the gemstone, should it not countinuously diminish in light over time given the simple fact that it shines. Unless there is a connection to the spiritual realm i don't understand yet, it could not give off light indefinitely as that would make it a perpetual energy source. My reasoning says that if a gemstone can hold Stormlight indefinitely, it would have to give off no light whatsoever. I am not trying to troll here, but am honestly curious to see if there is an explanation for this.

Alteroden

With Stormlight, the better the gem is cut, the less Stormlight it leaks, and the longer it holds its charge. If a gem was perfectly cut, on a molecular scale, would it leak Stormlight at all?

Brandon Sanderson

In a theoretical flawless gem, then no it would not.

Alteroden

Would it actually give off light?

Brandon Sanderson

[...] Theoretically no it would not, but it's not what you're thinking...

Alteroden

No no no, that’s not what I’m thinking, I figured that’s something totally different.

Brandon Sanderson

Well, actually, it probably would still give off light, because it's drawing out of the Spiritual Realm. So I’d say it still lights, but it doesn't leak. The leaking is not where the illumination is coming from. The illumination is coming from a direct... It's basically a light bulb screwed into the Spiritual Realm.

Shadows of Self Chicago signing (Oct. 12, 2015)

[Father Tanner]

So in other words if you had a perfect crystal structure, it WOULD give off light perpetually given that it continuously pulls light from the spiritual realm. The amount of Stormlight pulled into the gem initially IS finite, but it continues to access energy from the spiritual realm to give off light. That is my understanding now; correct me if I'm wrong.