Re: [Phys-l] Conservation of energy in nuclear reactions

[Brian Whatcott <betwys1@sbcglobal.net>]

Robert Cohen wrote:
> OK, I'll restate my question.
>  
> Consider an astronaut dropping a rock on the moon.  While the rock is
> falling, how does the kinetic energy of the moon/rock/astronaut SYSTEM change?
> How does the rest energy of the moon/rock/astronaut SYSTEM change?  Are there
> any other forms of energy that are changing?
I probably haven't been paying enough attention;  moreover, I would be 
more unwise than I presently am to embroider a story along classical 
lines to deal with electrons and protons in close quarters - so I will 
merely say something about the Moon Astronaut rock system:

Before the drop:
System potential  energy = some negative value a
System kinetic energy = zero

During the drop:
System potential energy  < a
System kinetic energy > 0

After the drop:
System potential energy   << a
System kinetic energy = 0

Are there other forms of energy that are changing?
   Yes.

Brian W