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Re: Strange "Energy" Units



W/m^2 seem like very appropriate "energy" units for discussing energy
transfer. I note that these are units technically units useful for
calculating an energy *flux*. Exactly what you might want for calculating
how large of a solar collector you may need for some purpose.

Joel
-----Original Message-----
From: phys-l@lists.nau.edu: Forum for Physics Educators
[mailto:PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu]On Behalf Of Peter Schoch
Sent: Friday, January 19, 2001 9:53 AM
To: PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu
Subject: Strange "Energy" Units


I am currently taking an Environmental Science course at a University
(because I've never had one, and the administration wants to know if I
can teach one in the Fall). In the text, and in the lectures, they
refer to energy transfer (heat, soloar radiation, ocean pump, etc.) in
units of W/m^2.

When I questioned the Professor teaching the class about the units
("Shouldn't energy units be in Joules?"), he was perplexed because he
had always referred to energy in these units of W/m^2. When I started
to mention power and intensity, his eyes started to glaze and he said
that I shouldn't worry about those things in this class; and that the
closeest we come to power is energy use discussions in kW-hr or BTU's.

Is it me, or is this just a bit screwed up? In any event, my
questions
are:

1. Is there any other discipline where such units are used
to refer to
energy and power?

2. What is the rationale for this?


Any help in clarifying this would be appreciated.

Peter Schoch
Sussex County Community College