Yay Bill: defy the thermal inquisition and be a martyr representing all we
heat-loving dissidents on PHYS-L :^). After this post I'll step back
and toast some marshmallows over you :^). I'm behind you all the way.
I also like to use the term heat (rather than say the the movement of the
thermal energy gradient) to describe how energy can propogate along a
conductor. There is research on experts and chidren's understandings of
thermal phenomena that led to the development of curricula addressing
student difficulties with thermodynamic phenomena. This curriculum (by
Marcia Linn at UC Berkeley -- online at their CLP and KIE websites) uses
the same approach preferred by mechanical engineers -- "HEAT"!
Linn, M. C. & Songer, N. B. (1991). Teaching thermodynamics to middle school
students: What are appropriate cognitive demands? Journal of Research in
Science Teaching, 28(10), 885-918.
So you're not alone in liking "heat", though you may be the advocate
with the longest patience and fastest typing skills on PHYS-L these days.