Just finished reading "Energy - The Master Resource" by Bradley & Fulmer
(Kendall/Hunt Publishing, 2004).
Well worth the time to read, if only to help counter the "we're running out of
energy" hysteria that grips the press on occassion.
Sadly, however, it uses a total mish-mash of units, with emphasis (since this
is a
"big picture" book) on the "quad" (quadrillion BTUs). Since I do a lot of work
in
the electric utility industry, I'm familiar with the quad, but sure wish it
would
give way to petajoules (1 PJ = 0.95 quads, or 1 PJ = 1 quad is close enough for
most
purposes).
At one point they even say "In the united States, work is expressed in units of
foot-pounds, while in Europe, work is expresed in terms of newton-meters (or
joules)."
I cannot think of a single example of ever seeing work expressed in
foot-pounds; has
anyone on this list ever seen it? We see kilowatthours, megawatthours, BTUs,
etc.,
but foot pounds?
I've got to write these guys a letter!
Rod Jones
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