Re: Energy as ability to do work

[Ludwik Kowalski <KowalskiL@MAIL.MONTCLAIR.EDU>]

Yes, yes, yes. Warn students of limitations of everything we know.

Would you accept this? --> "To begin with I will define energy
as an ability to do work. Limitations of this definition will become
clear later, but at the level of what we are doing now it seems to be
acceptable. Let us start solving some problems in which the concept
of energy turns out to be useful."

What is wrong with definitions which are not the most general in
teaching? Don't we all learn things little by little?
Ludwik Kowalski

John Denker wrote:

> ... If you want to "define" a sub-type of energy that isn't general
> enough
> to include thermodynamics, then it would be a big help to warn people
> of the limitations.