Melting Ice with a Carnot Engine

In summary, a Carnot heat engine operates with a hot reservoir of boiling water and a cold reservoir of ice and water. After 5 minutes, the engine has melted 3.40×10^-2 kg of ice, using the heat of fusion for water of 3.34x10^5 J/kg. To find the work performed by the engine, we need to calculate the efficiency, which is 27%. This can be found by using the temperatures of the reservoirs (273 K and 373 K). The efficiency is also related to the work done and the heat rejected by the engine (Qh). By knowing the amount of ice melted, we can find the heat lost and then calculate the work performed by the engine
  • #1
horsegirl09
16
0
A Carnot heat engine uses a hot reservoir consisting of a large amount of boiling water and a cold reservoir consisting of a large tub of ice and water. In 5 minutes of operation of the engine, the heat rejected by the engine melts a mass of ice equal to 3.40×10^−2 kg.
Throughout this problem use L_f = 3.34x10^5 J/kg for the heat of fusion for water.

During this time, how much work W is performed by the engine?

I don't know where to start...any help please?
 
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  • #2
Hi horsegirl09,

What is the efficiency of this engine? You are able to find a numerical value here.

Once you have that, how is the efficiency related to the work done?
 
  • #3
I still don't see how i can get the efficiency without any temperatures or heat values
 
  • #4
You do have the temperatures: one reservoir is boiling water and the other reservoir is a mixture of ice and water. What efficiency does that give?
 
  • #5
Tc=273 k Th= 373 k
n = 1- (Tc/Th)
n = 1- (273/373)
n = 1-.73
n = .27 or 27%
 
  • #6
n= 1-Tc/Th = W/Qh
how do i get Qh to get W?
 
  • #7
You know that the exhaust melts a certain amount of water, so from that you can find the heat lost.
 
  • #8
thanks i got the answer!
 

What is a Carnot Engine?

A Carnot Engine is a theoretical engine that operates on the Carnot cycle, which is a thermodynamic cycle that describes the most efficient way to convert heat energy into mechanical work. It is named after French physicist Nicolas Léonard Sadi Carnot, who first proposed the concept in 1824.

How does a Carnot Engine work?

A Carnot Engine works by taking in heat energy from a high-temperature source, converting some of it into mechanical work, and then releasing the remaining heat energy to a low-temperature sink. It operates in a cycle, and the efficiency of the engine is determined by the temperature difference between the two sources.

Why is a Carnot Engine important for melting ice?

A Carnot Engine is important for melting ice because it can efficiently convert heat energy into mechanical work, which can be used to heat up a substance and melt the ice. Since the Carnot cycle is the most efficient thermodynamic cycle, it can melt ice with minimal energy waste.

What factors affect the efficiency of a Carnot Engine for melting ice?

The efficiency of a Carnot Engine for melting ice is affected by the temperature difference between the high-temperature source (the heat source) and the low-temperature sink (the ice), as well as the specific heat capacity of the substance used for melting the ice. The efficiency also depends on the design and construction of the engine.

Can a Carnot Engine melt ice completely?

No, a Carnot Engine cannot melt ice completely. The second law of thermodynamics states that it is impossible to convert all of the heat energy into mechanical work. Some energy will always be lost due to the inefficiencies of the engine. However, a Carnot Engine can melt a significant amount of ice with high efficiency.

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