\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, and that explosion is the release of energy\u201d said the professor satisfied.<\/p>\n
The student was equally incredulous, \u201cCome off it. You\u2019ve come up with the thing \u2018energy\u2019 because you need some sort of invisible power to believe in. You don\u2019t have the answers for what really happens so you cook up this \u2018energy\u2019 which very conveniently fills in the gaps. Don\u2019t have an answer? \u2018Oh, it was all down to \u2018energy\u2019. We can\u2019t see it and it takes many different forms\u2026 When I ask for evidence you come up with some cock eyed theory about how it is invisible but it you know it is there. How can you conclude that there is such a thing as energy when I cannot see it or touch it or feel it or taste it? Where are the laboratory experiments that absolutely prove that energy exists? Where is this energy? Do you have it in a test tube some where? What is it? How does it work? Where is it? How do you know it exists? Where\u2019s the evidence?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSee here!\u201d said the Professor. \u201cExperts have been working on this for hundreds of years. Scientists know what they\u2019re talking about. They\u2019ve built up a whole body of knowledge about this. Libraries are full of studies about energy! Human experience from the first cave man to build a fire to the rockets that went to the moon are all powered by energy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSure. Sure. It sounds to me like a fairy story.\u201d said the boy. \u201cIt\u2019s all invisible sky wizards and magic wands and puffs of smoke and zaps of lightning! You don\u2019t mean to tell me you believe all that mad scientist, wacky wizard stuff do you? I went on the internet and searched for \u2018energy\u2019 and all they had was lots of unbelievable scientific gibberish with a picture of lightning bolts.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t be foolish\u201d said the Professor, \u201cThis is a serious discipline with very smart people working on this question. Why, millions and millions of intelligent and educated people accept the existence of energy without a question.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMore fool them.\u201d said the boy. \u201cJust because millions of people believe in the energy wizard who waves a magic wand and zaps things into being doesn\u2019t make it true.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere did you get such a preposterous idea of this sky wizard? That\u2019s not what I believe in!\u201d said the Professor.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou started it with all your talk about the invisible power that cannot be created or destroyed that holds everything together and makes everything work. You believe in an invisible energy wizard who goes around zapping things with lightning bolts. Don\u2019t you know that went out of date with Thor?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLook.\u201d said the professor, \u201cLet\u2019s talk sense. We know that energy exists because we understand how it works. Matter is made up of molecules which are made up of very small particles called atoms, and atoms are composed of sub atomic particles called electrons, neutrons and protons. We perceive these forms of energy as particles\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy can\u2019t you see them if they\u2019re there, and you say they are particle. Other people say they\u2019re waves. So which are they? It seems scientists contradict each other. None of you have the answers. You can\u2019t agree. \u00a0What are these \u2018forms of energy; you\u2019re talking about? Waves or particles? Huh?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe believe they are both at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh. I see. That\u2019s really logical. I like that. When you don\u2019t have an answer you come up with a nonsense answer. Any further explanations on that one? Or is it just a \u2018mystery\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, it is something we cannot yet explain. However, let\u2019s put that to one side and discuss atoms and sub atomic particles as they are easier to understand.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHold on. Where can I see an atom? Can you show me electrons, neutrons and protons?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, not exactly. They are invisible to the human eye, but we can show their action and effect. We bounce photons off them so we know they are there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo they\u2019re invisible too\u2026but they might not be particles at all. They might be waves. They change their shape do they? Like magic? It seems to me that you not only believe in the invisible sky wizard, but the energy wizard has little invisible friends\u2013 energy fairies that zoom around inside everything and are busy holding everything together. How exactly are these \u201celectrons, protons and neutrons\u201d different from Flora, Fauna and Merryweather in the Sleeping Beauty movie?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know these particles exist as we know radio waves exist. We can\u2019t see them, but we see their effect.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNow you\u2019re bringing in another invisible wizard! How many of them do you have? Now it\u2019s the radio sky wizard who zooms through the air sending messages to people in secret codes. That sounds more like an angel to me. So you believe in the radio wave angel who swoops through the sky invisibly to talk to people! Next thing you know you\u2019re going to make me take a test saying that I believe in all this stuff and you\u2019re going to force your crazy beliefs on me! I\u2019m outta here!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00a0 \u201cYes, and that explosion is the release of energy\u201d said the professor satisfied. The student was equally incredulous, \u201cCome off it. You\u2019ve come up with the thing \u2018energy\u2019 because you need some sort of invisible power to believe in. You don\u2019t have the answers for what really happens so you cook up this \u2018energy\u2019 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":557,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-5948","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\n