Chronology Current Month Current Thread Current Date
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Prev] [Date Next]

Re: heat is "real", but...



On Mon, 31 Jan 101, Daniel L. MacIsaac wrote:

But who insists that "heat" is a substance? Perhaps words are being put
into the mouths of the "heat believers" to make their viewpoint look
foolish. Heat is only "substance-like" in that it is a conserved
quantity in some circumstances.

Well, if substance means has mass, and heat (thermal energy) has mass via
mass-energy equivalence, then heat is a substance, no?

Now we're getting into the "energy is a substance" debate. The same
arguement can be used to convince us that "energy" cannot be a noun. And
neither can "light" or "sound" be a noun. They carry energy, which has
mass, so they are a magical substance like caloric? If the spinning of a
firedrill's wooden rod against a notched plank can release limitless
amounts of caloric, well, it can also release limitless amounts of light
and noise. Yet if the "caloric" is created by doing work against
friction, as are the light and noise, then "caloric" isn't such a horrible
concept.

If "light" and "sound" are OK to use as nouns, then what's wrong with
"heat" as a noun? Nothing. But the Heat CONCEPT is so complicated and so
hard to measure and so interwoven with "infectious misconceptions" that
teaching Heat probably causes far more harm than good.



I guess I'm complaining that "HEAT IS NOT A NOUN" is not very honest.
It's closer to a propaganda slogan than it is to science. We might want
to examine it critically.

A detailed discussion of the genuine issues associated with "heat" would
probably convince everyone to stop teaching about it (or at least to be
VERY cautious when daring to use the word.) Just try explaining what
happens on the micro level when a piece of hot quartz is pressed against
cold copper.

On the other hand, insisting that "heat" doesn't exist might often have
the opposite effect: it divides the community, and some people will defend
themselves against the encroaching Meme by doing the opposite of what it
demands: by intentionally teaching about "heat" in great detail, and by
fiercely resisting any pressures being put on them to stop.


((((((((((((((((((((( ( ( ( ( (O) ) ) ) ) )))))))))))))))))))))
William J. Beaty SCIENCE HOBBYIST website
billb@eskimo.com http://www.amasci.com
EE/programmer/sci-exhibits science projects, tesla, weird science
Seattle, WA 206-789-0775 freenrg-L taoshum-L vortex-L webhead-L