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Re: Question about light and heat



I once was called on using the expression, "cold escaping from the poorly
insulated ......" My answer was, I'm speaking English.

bc


Rick Tarara wrote:

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tina Fanetti" <FanettT@QUEST.WITCC.CC.IA.US>

HUH?
I am looking in Halliday, Resineck and Walker and it says that heat is
transferred internal energy. Is this not saying heat is energy?

Its is in 5th edition page 461, 2nd column

Tina

Tina, you haven't been around here long enough to know that there is an
ongoing crusade by Jim Green (and he _does_ have followers) to ban the word
'heat' used as a noun from the English language (and I suspect to ban most
other uses of the word as well). His reasons are reasonably well founded in
thermodynamics. He also is very concerned that students end up with a
'fluid model' when the language is used. However, as you have discovered,
most intro-physics texts and I suspect most people on this list, don't go
along. Heat as a synonym for thermal energy is just too much a part of
common usage to try and abandon, and many of us feel that the pedagogical
gain, especially with students who will NEVER see a thermo book in their
lives, is just not worth it. Jim will continue his crusade periodically and
you can join him or ignore him as you wish, but that's what this is about.

Rick

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Richard W. Tarara
Professor of Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556
rtarara@saintmarys.edu

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