Re: Energy as ability to do work

[John Denker <jsd@MONMOUTH.COM>]

At 09:59 AM 10/26/99 -0500, Lemmerhirt, Fred wrote:
> Lately there have been several emphatic rejections of the old idea of energy
> as the "ability of a system to do work".  I'm wondering if those who oppose
> this approach do so because:  1) they feel it is just plain "wrong";  2) it
> is incomplete and lacks generality;  or  3) they just don't find it as
> "intellectually satisfying" as a more abstract approach.  (or maybe for some
> other reason)

I vote for "just plain wrong".

Consider a block of brass with some initial temperature.  Then I dump ten
joules of heat into it.  The incremental ability of the system to do work
with that energy is somewhat less, possibly very much less, than the
incremental energy.

______________________________________________________________
copyright (C) 1999 John S. Denker             jsd@monmouth.com