Question

A heat engine takes in 840 kJ per cycle from a heat reservoir. Which is not a possible value of the engine's heat output per cycle?

Answer 1

We have by the first law of thermodynamics tha energy is preserved, hence we cannot have over 840kJ per cycle. We have by the laws of thermodynamics (the 2nd one in specific) that the entropy of a system cannot increase. We cannot have an output of 840 kJ per cycle from a heat engine because then that would mean that the entropy would stay the same, while any heat engine increases it. Hence, any value
`\geq 840 kJ` is acceptable.