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Re: vector quantities and energy



Jerome,
I guess I wasn't clear enough. That information was meant to
show that if the students did some exploration on the web, they may come
across something where energy is a vector. My example was CDF's result
using transverse energy, which is the energy released in a direction
transverse to the beampipe. I can easily see where the kids become
confused. Also, if the kid comes across information about special
relativity and sees the term four-vector and sees energy in it. Don't
introduce it but know it's out there. I do it but I hate being asked a
question I don't know the answer to.

Sam Held


-----Original Message-----
From: Jerome Epstein [mailto:jerepst@WORLDNET.ATT.NET]
Sent: Thursday, January 21, 1999 9:15 PM
To: PHYS-L@LISTS.NAU.EDU
Subject: Re: vector quantities and energy


I certainly wouldn't tell a 10th grader about the 4-component of a
4-vector. Only answer I can give is that it converts to work and to heat
in some obvious physical situations, and the amount of heat you get
doesn't depend on direction of motion.
J. Epstein