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Re: Thermal Energy



In a message dated 3/5/02 10:56:07 PM Eastern Standard Time,
hhaskell@MINDSPRING.COM writes:

<< My understanding of "thermal energy" has always been the
random kinetic energy of the atoms in an object (or collection of
objects, like a gas or a liquid), measured relative to the center of
mass of the system. That would exclude an organized rotational motion
of the system as well as translational kinetic energy of the center
of mass. In other words, "thermal energy," pretty much corresponds to
the kT energy associated with the system.

Hugh >>
I noticed my post on this was ignored but Hugh here hits the nail on the
head. Thermal energy is, as I pointed out in my earlier post, defined as the
potential and kinetic energy associated with the RANDOM motions of atoms in
an object. Therefore the KE associated with the ball in flight or the ball
rotating would be excluded from being considered thermal energy.

Bob Zannelli