[Phys-L] Re: Energy is primary and fundamental?

[jbellina at SAINTMARYS.EDU (jbellina)]

Why is it important to answer that question?  There are many other
questions that could be asked and answered.  Does finding the answer
to that question help the student develop any better understanding of
the physical situation?

just wondering

joe
On Aug 17, 2005, at 1:50 PM, rlamont wrote:

> What is your approach to the following simple problem? A ball is
> dropped from rest and falls for 5 seconds. Without using
> acceleration, just energy, calculate its speed at the end of the
> 5 seconds?
>
> Bob at PC
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Forum for Physics Educators [mailto:PHYS-
> > L@list1.ucc.nau.edu] On Behalf Of Dan Schroeder
> > Sent: Tuesday, August 16, 2005 7:08 PM
> > To: PHYS-L@LISTS.NAU.EDU
> > Subject: Re: Energy is primary and fundamental?
> >
> > Apologies for joining this discussion rather late.  I guess I'm
> one of
>
> > the "some physicists" mentioned below, although I've never
> taught high
>
> > school or even a standard Physics 101 college course.  However,
> for
>
> > three years I did teach an honors physical science course, with
> energy
>
> > as the unifying concept, for college students who were not
> majoring in
>
> > science.
> >
> > For that course I wrote some text materials which you can
> download
>
> > from
> > <http://physics.weber.edu/schroeder/energy/>.  Don't get your
> hopes
>
> > up--these materials are not even close to being a textbook.
> Rather,
>
> > they're a very terse overview of the core physics that students
> were
>
> > expected to learn, with a collection of student exercises.  In
> the
>
> > course, these materials were supplemented by additional
> readings
>
> > from a
> > wide variety of other sources, plus hands-on experiments and
> other
>
> > activities.  By the way, if you read Chapter 2 you'll see that
> I did
>
> > not (nor was it my goal to) eliminate all reference to force
> and work.
>
> > However, I did pretty much eliminate acceleration!
> >
> > Another excellent resource is Bob Romer's old book, Energy:  An
> > Introduction to Physics (Freeman, 1976, unfortunately out of
> print).
>
> > Without trying to get into an argument with those who feel that
> this
>
> > approach to physics is idiotic, here is a list of some of the
> > advantages that I see:
> >
> > * Energy is a familiar concept in everyday life, tangible
> because we
>
> > pay for it (in dollars, pounds gained, etc.).
> > * Energy is an important political issue that all educated
> citizens
>
> > must understand.
> > * Energy is a key concept in other sciences:  chemistry,
> biology,
>
> > geology, astronomy.
> > * Energy-related quantities and calculations provide an
> outstanding
>
> > opportunity to develop students' numeracy skills.
> > * Energy really is more fundamental than force.  While some
> particular
>
> > forms of energy (gravitational, elastic) are closely related to
> force
>
> > and are calculated from measured forces, other forms of energy
> > (thermal, chemical, electrical) are calculated from entirely
> different
>
> > measurements.  Energy in general is a much deeper and broader
> > concept
> > than force.
> >
> > Dan S.
> >
> >
> >
> > > Date:    Wed, 10 Aug 2005 12:09:47 -0500
> > > From:    Dan Crowe <dcrowe@SOTC.ORG>
> > > Subject: Energy is primary and fundamental? (was RE: First
> Day
>
> > > Activities or
> > >          Demos)
> > >
> > > John,
> > >
> > > Some physicists advocate starting a first course in physics
> at the
>
> > high
> >
> > > school level with energy and energy conservation, but I don't
> know
>
> > how
> >
> > > to do that.
> > >
> > > How do you define energy without reference to force or work?
> > >
> > > How can high school students develop an understanding of
> energy
>
> > and
> >
> > > energy conservation at the beginning of their first course in
> physics?
>
> > > What guidance should a teacher provide in this process?
> > >
> > > Daniel Crowe
> > > Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics
> > > Ardmore Regional Center
> > > dcrowe@sotc.org