Algunas dificultades en torno a la conservación de la energía

The subject of energy is a very important part of a physics course, as it provides a clear link between the different sections of physics. In this paper we analyze the teaching and learning of energy at secondary level and we show that traditional methods to teach energy: a) do not consider students misconceptions, b) introduce energy conservation in mechanics and thermodynamics but do not clarify if it is a theorem or a principle, and c) do not present the conservation of energy as a general principle of the whole physics. Finally, a new approach to energy teaching is showed