Why is Carnot not irreversible?

AI Thread Summary
The Carnot cycle is considered reversible because the heating process occurs infinitesimally slowly, allowing it to maintain quasi-static equilibrium. While heat exchange is generally irreversible, the specific conditions of the Carnot cycle enable this heating to be reversible. This distinction is crucial for understanding the efficiency of the Carnot cycle compared to real-world processes. The key factor is the infinitesimal nature of the heating, which aligns with thermodynamic principles. Thus, the Carnot cycle exemplifies an idealized reversible process in thermodynamics.
Abigale
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Hi,

I am thinking about the Carnot-Cycle-Process.
I know that a heat exchange is always irreversible.

But in the Carnot-Cycle, there is heating too.
Why is that kind of heating, in the Carnot-Process reversible?

Thx Abby
 
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Heat exchange is always irreversible only for the processes which are not infinitesimally slow (or quasi-static or quasi-equilibruum) processes.

In Carnot-Cycle heating is done infinitesimally slowly, that's why it is reversible.
 

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