io Dynamic Evolution 



matter may be increased or diminished at 

 will, or, theoretically, may be eliminated 

 entirely without changing the mass of matter 

 in the least, while an attribute is something 

 characteristic of, or inherent in, a thing. If 

 energy were a characteristic of matter, it 

 could not be taken away without destroying 

 the matter itself. 



The definition which says that energy is 

 "capacity for performing work " is also faulty, 

 as "capacity" indicates capability of receiv- 

 ing and containing, and hence gives the idea 

 of cubical contents. Thus: Matter, occupy- 

 ing space, has capacity for storing energy, 

 and the energy so stored may be used to 

 perform work. "Ability" to do or perform 

 anything gives the idea of energy without the 

 accompanying idea of matter. To say that 

 a person has the ability to do thus and so is 

 equivalent to saying that he has the energy 

 to do thus and so. The distinction between 

 matter and energy is not only shown by the 

 formulas for them but is recognized in ordi- 

 nary life. The laborer who digs a ditch 



