Is it supposed to be more obvious that WORK is not a noun? I find that once students understand the difference between transfer variables and state variables, the syntax of the words that we use becomes almost irrelevant because they know what is being said despite the colloquialisms used.
Bob at PC
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From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu on behalf of JMGreen
Sent: Sun 2/10/2008 3:22 PM
To: Forum for Physics Educators
Subject: [Phys-l] Heat is not a noun
Heat as it is used since Carnot is not correctly used as a noun.
Heating may be, but heat is not a substance, not a fluid, it doesn't
flow; in the expression W+Q=dE, Q is WORK. Why can't physics teachers
learn not to teach as does Bill Nye the so called Science Guy. That
is what confuses students!