Re: [Phys-L] definition of "power"

[Jeffrey Schnick <JSchnick@Anselm.Edu>]

I think it would hurt.  It would still have viewers come away with the idea that power is an amount of energy, with units of energy.  I would accept "power is the energy put into the thing each second, divided by one second."  I would much prefer, "the power in this case, is how fast energy is being put into the thing," or, better yet, "how fast energy is flowing into the thing."

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Phys-l [mailto:phys-l-bounces@www.phys-l.org] On Behalf Of John
> Clement
> Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2014 3:00 PM
> To: Phys-L@Phys-L.org
> Subject: Re: [Phys-L] definition of "power"
>
> The common on the street definition of power is often the same as energy.
>
> I was dismayed when an episode of the Magic School Bus defined power as
> energy.  I suspect they are still using that episode.  It really would not hurt to
> say that the power is the energy put into the thing each second.
> The difference between the two words is actually quite exact in trade and
> science.  So starting to make the distinction early can be helpful, even if it is
> not fully understood.
>
> John M. Clement
> Houston, TX
>
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