Re: What Flows?

["Dewey Dykstra, Jr." <dykstrad@varney.idbsu.edu>]

> > Does anyone have any evidence,
> > anecdotal or otherwise, that using the words 'energy flows' tend to cause
> > students to think in terms of the caloric model?  Is this true even when
> > the words are used along with an emphasis that energy is not a substance?
> > Is there evidednce combining these two ingredients causes confusion?
> >
> > --
> > --James McLean
> > jmclean@chem.ucsd.edu

It isn't so much that using the words 'energy flow' tends to _cause_
students to think in terms of the caloric model.  Instead, such expressions
and those like 'heat rises' are consistent with already existing notions
formed to account for experience. It is more likely confusion arises when
instructors try to tell them something else and no attention is paid or
time given to trot out most of the previously existing notions and sort
them out against the actual behavior of the phenomena.

Dewey

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Dewey I. Dykstra, Jr.                   Phone: (208)385-3105
Professor of Physics                    Dept:  (208)385-3775
Department of Physics/SN318             Fax: (208)385-4330
Boise State University                  dykstrad@varney.idbsu.edu
1910 University Drive                   Boise Highlanders
Boise, ID 83725-1570                       novice piper
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