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nate9519
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Sure.nate9519 said:Homework Statement
I don't need help solving I just need some clarification. Since the carnot cycle is adiabatic, the first law would reduce to work= mass*(change in internal energy). On my test I was asked to calculate the work of the isentropic expansion of a carnot engine with air as the working fluid. I got confused and calculated from step 1-3( isothermal expansion and isentropic expansion) instead of 2-3( just isentropic expansion.) But since step 1-2 is isothermal would that mean the change in internal energy from 1-3 is the same as 2-3 meaning I would still have gotten the right answer
Homework Equations
The Attempt at a Solution
I need some clarification of the steps involved here. You were asked to calculate the Work during the isentropic expansion (2 - 3). You are saying the change in internal energy from 1 - 3 is the same as the change in internal energy from 2 - 3. I agree with your statement, but how is it related to the work? Your statement: "Since the carnot cycle is adiabatic, the first law would reduce to work= mass*(change in internal energy)." is very confusing. Are you talking about the entire Carnot cycle (1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 1)? The entire cycle is not adiabatic, and the total change in internal energy for the entire cycle is zero, and that is not related to the work done.nate9519 said:Homework Statement
I don't need help solving I just need some clarification. Since the carnot cycle is adiabatic, the first law would reduce to work= mass*(change in internal energy). On my test I was asked to calculate the work of the isentropic expansion of a carnot engine with air as the working fluid. I got confused and calculated from step 1-3( isothermal expansion and isentropic expansion) instead of 2-3( just isentropic expansion.) But since step 1-2 is isothermal would that mean the change in internal energy from 1-3 is the same as 2-3 meaning I would still have gotten the right answer
Homework Equations
The Attempt at a Solution
Thermodynamics is the branch of science that studies the relationship between heat, energy, and work, and how they are transferred between systems.
The Carnot engine is a theoretical heat engine that operates on the Carnot cycle, which is the most efficient cycle possible for a heat engine. It consists of two isothermal processes and two adiabatic processes.
A Carnot engine expansion works by taking in heat energy from a high-temperature source, converting some of it into work, and then releasing the remaining heat energy to a lower-temperature sink. This process is repeated in a cyclical manner to produce continuous work.
The efficiency of a Carnot engine expansion is determined by the temperature difference between the high-temperature source and the low-temperature sink. It is given by the equation: efficiency = (T1 - T2)/T1, where T1 is the temperature of the high-temperature source and T2 is the temperature of the low-temperature sink.
A Carnot engine expansion is the most efficient heat engine, as it operates on the Carnot cycle, which is the most efficient cycle possible. Other real-life heat engines, such as steam engines and internal combustion engines, have lower efficiencies due to factors such as friction and heat loss.