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] |
the
Dan,
The Modeler's definition of energy is somewhat different from
classicdefine work
"energy is the capacity to do work", which requires you to
and,something
as a result, drag in the discussion of force. Instead we have
onemphasis is on
the order of "energy is the capacity for change", so the
theresult of
location(s) of energy and the specific changes that occur as a
anchanges
energy increase or decrease. An energy change can result in
inchange),
motion (kinetic energy change), positioning (potential energy
arrangement (potential energy change), etc. Working,radiation, and
heatingdiscuss
only come in at the stage where one becomes concerned about HOW
energy
transfers from one thing to another. All of this allows you to
energy right away if you think it's appropriate.considered
Note that this approach pretty much requires that fields be
asModeler,
"objects" rather than theoretical constructs, since for the
energythis
always has to reside "somewhere", and my personal approach to
is toas
liken fields to springs or rubber bands whose geometry changes
energyis a
changes. That's a lot farther down the road, of course, but it
bridge
one has to cross eventually if one is to be consistent.