This thread won't die because Jim keeps bringing it up ;-)
OK, the transfer of energy at the boundary between Jim's A and B containers
IS due to intermolecular collisions, BUT viewed over time, the energy
content of A decreases and B increases. The 'common' name for this random
KE of molecules is Heat Energy, and the imagery of that energy 'flowing'
from A to B and therefore Heat flowing from A to B is not, IMO, harmful.
The Heat Energy nomenclature is useful for beginning students because it
helps in the process of identifying energy in complex systems. Consider a
block sliding along a rough surface. Sure you can say that the ordered KE
of the block molecules becomes random KE of the block and surface molecules
by a series of interactions between molecules, but when I get to this
problem, I simply have the students rub their hands together. Where does
the energy go--they answer as one--HEAT. OK, later on, those who go on
need a more sophisticated understanding of all this, BUT those students
SHOULD be able to make that jump without too much confusion.
BTW: Jim, what do you call the quantity calculated by kA(delta)T/d in
conduction? Many of us call this the heat flow across a boundary.
This crusade will certainly go the same way as the Bernoulli and
centripetal/centrifugal wars--to be resurrected every 6 months without ever
any resolution.
*****************************************************
Richard W. Tarara
Department of Chemistry & Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556
219-284-4664
rtarara@saintmarys.edu