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Ability - Ability is what you are doing with what you have; a dynamic or kinetic process. A parenchyma cell always has the capacity to divide and differentiate but not the ability until released - commanded. E.g., Parenchyma packed within fibers and tissues have the capacity but not the ability to divide and differentiate. When a wound creates space, then the ability is exercised and a sprout forms as those cells divide and differentiate. For information on the topic see woundwood.
Ability and Capacity - Wow, again these words are mixed and not used correctly. Capacity is what you have. Unless you are some poor sole who is born without arms or fingers, you have the capacity to become a fine pianist. You have the capacity to do many kinds of activities that require hands and fingers. We have many repeats in nature. The capacity is a type of a potential – what you have. Ability is what you are doing with what you have – that’s kinetic. So the parenchyma cells deep inside the wood have the capacity, they are meristematic. Meristematic is a capacity word. They have the capacity when the pressure is released to divide and differentiate – they have the capacity, the potential. The cambium zone has the ability – it must divide or else the plant becomes symplastless. You don’t go past go, you do not get your $200.00, everything regarding the symplast stops. So remember capacity is potential –what you have. Ability is what you are doing with what you have. You can use the word potential and kinetic - it’s a kinetic feature, it’s a potential feature. Don’t get the words mixed up. Humpty Dumpty said a word means only what he wants it to mean. Socrates, a great philosopher, said, just tell us what you want your word to mean. And Voltaire, another great thinker, said, when we know what you mean by your words, arguments and misunderstandings will seldom happen. If you want to find out if a person is really your friend ask them to define what they are talking about. Especially if its stress and strain or capacity and ability or some other big word. If they don’t get too angry than that person is your friend. Emanuel Kant from Germany said “he did not mind being criticized, he minded being misunderstood”. We want to help trees not hurt. We hurt enough, knowing and unknowing. But, capacity a level, ability another level. Potential / Kinetic – What you have then what you are doing with what you have.