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Re: [Phys-l] teaching energy



In my experience, student pilots -and I was one once - have very little difficulty in appreciating that height and speed are interchangeable. The experience really hit home in a limk trainer (and subsequent flights).
regards,
Jack

On Sat, 30 Sep 2006, John Denker wrote:

On 09/30/2006 05:44 PM, Bob LaMontagne wrote:

Potential energies, on the other hand, are way of easily calculating how a
conservative force will change a KE if an object changes position. That is
difficult, if not impossible, for a student to associate with a concrete
image.

A) In the classroom:
Book on high shelf = high potential energy.
Book on lower shelf = lower potential energy.

B) Student pilots have an _easier_ time estimating their height (PE)
than their airspeed (KE).

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