hwall95 said:Okay i know that energy is the ability or capacity to do work. But how do you define work, as like the isn't work just the transference of energy in one form to another? Which is kinda circular reasoning. Like the rely on each other for a defintion. Is that right?
DaleSpam said:The appropriate definition of work depends on what theory you are using.
One is the mechanical definition: "work is f.d". This definition is used in basic Newtonian mechanics. In it forces are the primary things and everything else is defined based on forces. Then energy is non-circularly defined as the capacity to do work.
The other is the thermodynamic definition: "work is a transfer of energy other than through heat". This definition is used in Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics as well as all field theories. In these, the Lagrangian is the primary thing and everything else is defined based on the Lagrangian. Then energy is non-circularly defined as the conserved quantity associated with time invariance of the Lagrangian.
No, that is just the definition of work in thermodynamics. Energy can be transferred between systems either through heat, or through anything else. Anything else is called work.hwall95 said:hahah yeah thanks i was meaning the thermodynamics definition sorry, okay thanks but when you say "other then heat energy", is that because thermal energy itself is just kinetic energy?
DaleSpam said:No, that is just the definition of work in thermodynamics. Energy can be transferred between systems either through heat, or through anything else. Anything else is called work.
The basic distinction is that heat is a rather disorganized microscopic transfer that you cannot see in detail, as opposed to things like macroscopic fields and forces.
The relationship between energy and work is that energy is the ability to do work. Work is defined as the application of force over a distance. This means that in order for work to be done, energy must be used and transferred.
Energy is measured in joules (J). Other commonly used units of energy include calories, kilowatt-hours (kWh), and British Thermal Units (BTUs). The conversion between these units can be found using conversion factors.
There are several different types of energy, including kinetic energy (energy of motion), potential energy (stored energy), thermal energy (heat), chemical energy (stored in chemical bonds), electrical energy (movement of electrons), and nuclear energy (released from reactions in the nucleus of an atom).
Energy can be transferred from one object to another through various processes such as conduction, convection, and radiation. It can also be transformed from one type to another, such as potential energy being converted into kinetic energy when an object falls.
The connection between energy and work is seen in many everyday activities, such as using electricity to power appliances, using chemical energy in food to fuel our bodies, and using fuel to power vehicles. It also plays a crucial role in industries such as manufacturing and transportation.