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Re: Stop using calories?



Caloric used to be
defined as an invisible weightless material that is found in all
matter but, as we all know, the entire concept of caloric was
disproved by Count Rumford in the 18th century. Some
scientists, and a large segment of the public, still cling to
this outmoded concept of adding or removing caloric.
However, knowing that there is no such thing as caloric, they
call the same invisible, weightless material HEAT or HEAT
ENERGY. Does changing the name change the concept?

Herb Gottlieb from New York City


Did Count Rumford (Benjamin Thompson, I believe) actually disprove the
concept or did he give an explanation that scientists have come to like
better?

If the concept is really so outmoded then why is it still so prevalent?

Does changing the name change the concept?

My answer: no.

Dewey

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Dewey I. Dykstra, Jr. Phone: (208)385-3105
Professor of Physics Dept: (208)385-3775
Department of Physics/MCF421/418 Fax: (208)385-4330
Boise State University dykstrad@bsumail.idbsu.edu
1910 University Drive Boise Highlanders
Boise, ID 83725-1570 novice piper

"Physical concepts are the free creations of the human mind and
are not, however it may seem, uniquely determined by the external
world."--A. Einstein in The Evolution of Physics with L. Infeld,
1938
"Don't mistake your watermelon for the universe." --K. Amdahl in
There Are No Electrons, 1991.
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