Paul wrote:
> For example, many centuries ago people did not > understand where the energy contained in > compressed air came from. They could have easily > attributed it to a separate hidden energy > storage compartment created and handled by nature, > called PE. We now know that's a silly > idea because we understand exactly where the energy is > stored in compressed air. Present > physics just calls it PE. There is no PE. > What if you create two iron atoms, each 1 micron > apart. How much PE is there. How much PE > between two iron atoms created at the ends of our > universe. How much PE between two iron > atoms created in different universes. Nature does not > need to know such silly things, > because energy always exists, there's no hidden > undetectable backdoor of energy. Energy is > simply moved from one source to another. This is what it sounds like to me. We have, over the last few centuries been able to expand our energy supply beyond that afforded by our own manual labour by the outsourcing the job to nature. > ... I think if you go back and read my posts you'll > get the gist of the theory. > >> However, as I tried to explain, the concept of > _power_ >> is still relevant. > > Yes, but we don't need to mention both power and > energy, as energy incorporates power over > time. Energy is an economic construct. It is not really "out there". Harry
