Replying to LO27787 --
I am using "potential energy" as it is commonly used in physics and
chemistry. Thinking back to my long-ago studies in chemistry and physics,
I vaguely remember some discussion about free energy. However, it was
within the frame of timing, i.e., immediately available versus locked up
in a form that requires transformation to do work. Or it was energy being
thrown off to the environment (out of the system). This brings up another
point on how you are defining the boundary of your system. I see
individual systems as being conceptual and thereby defined relative to a
particular situation. Shift the perspective, and the system boundary
changes, making what had been outside the earlier system now within the
new, higher level system boundary. This thought just came to mind as you
discussed exchanging energy with the external system.
In your example of the truck, horse, and hill, I see the chemical energy
of the horse as being another potential energy that might complement the
gravitational energy in a potential form as the truck sits at the top of
the hill. Potential chemical energy of the motor fuel having been used to
generate the new potential of the truck itself relative to the Earth's
gravitational pull. Both forms of energy hold potential until released to
do work.
Doing a Google search on "free energy" yields many sources of information
on the term. However, I am quite sure that this third definition is not
what you have in mind.
One example among many similar: http://www.amasci.com/freenrg/fefaq.html I
did not know what other keywords to use to filter the off-topic material
from your use of the term.
Also, I do not understand immergence and ablation as you are using the
terms or how you are using them in contrast to emergence.
>I thought about your question in the context of your contribution for
>days and I still feel not sure what you ask. So if my answer does not
>satisfy you, please ask again and feel free to tell me where I did not
>understand you. If you feel that in what follows my imagination run wild,
>I would not mind.
>The term "potential energy" has a strict meaning in physics. It means the
>energy which any body has in terms of its POSITION with respect to other
>bodies. The potential energy can have various forms like gravitational or
>electrical energy. Should the body change its position and its potential
>energy changes too, then a force is exerted on that body.
>The general public use "potential energy" in a different sense. It is
>energy possible for a certain task, but not actually used for that
>action.
--"Wirth, Ross" <RWIRTH@citgo.com>
Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <Richard@Karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>
"Learning-org" and the format of our message identifiers (LO1234, etc.) are trademarks of Richard Karash.