[Phys-L] Re: Momentum

[Rick Tarara <rtarara@SAINTMARYS.EDU>]

While I am not a Jim Green Disciple, I do think this topic speaks to his
(and others) warnings about reifying energy.  It is by thinking of energy as
something 'real' that is contained by the initial moving object, that then
causes us problems in thinking about how this energy 'stuff' ends up being
redistributed in the final system.

I think there are many cases where modeling energy as 'substance like' works
well, but this is not one of those.

Rick

*********************************************************
Richard W. Tarara
Professor of Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, Indiana
rtarara@saintmarys.edu
********************************************************
Free Physics Educational Software (Win & Mac)
      NEW:  Updated MOTION animations.
www.saintmarys.edu/~rtarara/software.html
Energy 2100--class project
www.saintmarys.edu/~rtarara/ENERGY_PROJECT/ENERGY2100.htm
********************************************************

----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert Cohen" <Robert.Cohen@PO-BOX.ESU.EDU>
To: <PHYS-L@LISTS.NAU.EDU>
Sent: Tuesday, December 06, 2005 12:43 PM
Subject: Re: Momentum


> And even more amazing...how does nature know exactly how to CHANGE how
> much energy is lost when viewed in a different frame?
>
> ____________________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Phys-L mailing list
Phys-L@electron.physics.buffalo.edu
https://www.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l