I must confess that the recent "flow" discussions caught me me by
surprise. I would like to explore my understanding of how others
use the term in connection with an unfinished paper which colleagues
urge me to complete -- see web page if you have the time
Consider the Joule Mechanical Equivalent of Heat experiment:
An accurate drawing is available on my web page but the following
should do: Two strings with two hanging weights at one end on each
string each passes over pulleys to a paddle wheel which is submerged
in water. As the weights are allowed to fall the paddle wheel is
forced to rotate. In the process the water is heated.
Which of you would insist that energy be reified in your mind and
flow from -- well where? -- to the water? If so would you have a
special name for this energy?
Which of you would prefer to think of the process as follows:
The Earth does work on the weights as they fall.
The weights do work on the strings.
The strings do work on the paddle wheel.
The paddle wheel does work on the water molecules.
The average KE of the water molecules increases.
The temperature of the water increases.
Nothing "flows" -- ie energy is not reified in the mind. Work is done
If you would not prefer the above, would you sympathize with this explanation?