We propose and examine a potential analogy between mass transfer (in space) and energy transfer (in solids). We adapt classical equations of matter dynamics to describe the dynamics of energy transfer. Such fundamental quantities as the effective mass, momentum, moment of inertia and other quantities typical for bodies of matter are introduced for “bodies” of energy. Along with this, two new concepts of “carrier” and “phantom” are proposed. A carrier is a medium which enables energy transfer. A phantom is a virtual body of matter having its mass distribution equivalent to the energy distribution in the carrier. Using an inhomogeneous chain of particles as a sample system, we show that the phantom motion satisfies the Newton's second law of dynamics. For certain systems, we derive constitutive equations for the net force, which results in a closed system of dynamics equations. We further show that with the relevant properties of the chain it is possible to obtain the dynamics equation for the phantom motion in a gravitational field. We use similar methods to study energy dispersion. To analyze phantom evolution, we introduce the velocities of phantom transfer and dispersion. We show that, depending on the ratio of these velocities, the phantom can behave either as a wave or as a particle.
Furthermore, we discuss potential application of energy dynamics to other branches of physics, such as quantum mechanics, electrodynamics and general relativity. We introduce the idea that a body of matter itself can be a phantom in some other carrier, which is a different entity than matter. Possible associations of the phantom/carrier model with current models of physical space are discussed. Based on the presented concept, we propose plausible qualitative answers to several open questions in modern physics.