Energy imparted and energy transferred

  • Thread starter Thread starter _Andreas
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Energy
Click For Summary

Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the distinction between "energy imparted" and "energy transferred," particularly in the context of the Compton effect. The original poster expresses confusion due to the interchangeable nature of the terms in their native language and seeks clarification on their meanings within physics.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the nuances of the terms "imparted" and "transferred," with some suggesting that they may have different implications in physics. The original poster attempts to clarify these terms through examples from their textbook, while others question the clarity of these examples.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with various interpretations of the terms being explored. Some participants have provided insights into the potential differences in meaning, but there is no explicit consensus on the definitions. The original poster continues to seek clarity, indicating that the discussion is still productive.

Contextual Notes

There is a mention of a specific example from a textbook involving the Compton effect, which includes various energy terms. The original poster's uncertainty about the example suggests that additional context may be needed for a complete understanding.

_Andreas
Messages
141
Reaction score
1

Homework Statement



What is the distinction between energy imparted and energy transferred? Both impart and transfer is translated to the same word in Swedish, so I'm rather confused. The context in which the two are mentioned (the Compton effect) doesn't make it any clearer either, at least not to me.

Homework Equations



-

The Attempt at a Solution



I can't make an attempt at a solution to any problem until I get the basics straight.
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
Imparted and transferred are interchangable words so energy imparted and energy transferred mean the same thing. The nuances of English means that in certain situations one word will be favoured over the other but only for aesthetic purposes. If there is any difference in any specific area of physics I do not know what it is.
 
I agree, the words are almost interchangeable in British English.

The difference in meaning could be that "transfer" implies "to move something from one place and put it in another place", and "impart" implies "to give something" without saying to where it comes from.

For example for two objects A and B, "energy is imparted to B" means the energy of B increases, without saying where the energy came from.

"Energy is transferred from A to B" means that A loses energy and B gains the same amount of energy.

In British English, you can say "energy is transferred to B" (without mentioning A explicitly), but you would never say "energy is imparted from A to B".

Hope this helps.
 
Last edited:
Thank you for your efforts! However, I'm not sure they're helping. Perhaps an example from my textbook is necessary.

Photon hf1 is entering volume V, and undergoing a Compton interaction which produces scattered photon hf2 and an electron with kinetic energy T. The electron is assumed to produce bremsstrahlung x-ray (hf3) before leaving V with remaining energy T'. It then produces another x-ray (hf4). In this example the energy imparted, energy transferred, and net energy transferred in V are, respectively,

E=hf1-(hf2+hf3)+T'+0

Etr=hf1-hf2+0=T

ETr(net)=hf1-hf2-(hf3+hf4)+0=T-(hf3+hf4)
 
Hmm... English is my first language, and I don't understand your quote from your textbook either :confused:

But I'm a mech. engineer, so if I ever knew what the Compton effect was, I've now forgotten. That doesn't help!
 
I wanted to include a picture, but I don't know how to do.
 
Last edited:

Similar threads

  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
3K
Replies
12
Views
1K
Replies
12
Views
3K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
4K
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • · Replies 0 ·
Replies
0
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
1K