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-----Original Message-----
From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu [mailto:phys-l-
bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu] On Behalf Of R. McDermott
Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2006 11:17 AM
To: Forum for Physics Educators
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] teaching energy
Bear in mind that we are (mostly) talking about a presentation to high
school students. While what you say is certainly correct, it conveys very
little information to the beginning student that they can use to help them
internalize their learning. By getting them to associate energy with a
location, it is easier for them to deal with TRANSFERS of energy, and with
the concept of working changing the amount of energy, and helps to
eliminate
the common misconception that energy comes in different flavors; ie, that
KE
is somehow different from PE and has to be "converted" by some unknown and
unspecified process. Beginners (most of them anyway) need a framework
that
is concrete before they can proceed to abstract.