Question

There are four distinct events that occur in the Carnot cycle. Starting with the heat reception event, name and describe each one.

A. Isobaric Compression, Isothermal Expansion, Isobaric Expansion, Isothermal Compression
B. Isothermal Expansion, Isobaric Compression, Isothermal Compression, Isobaric Expansion
C. Isobaric Expansion, Isothermal Compression, Isobaric Compression, Isothermal Expansion
D. Isothermal Compression, Isobaric Expansion, Isothermal Expansion, Isobaric Compression

Answer 1

The Carnot cycle consists of four stages: isothermal expansion, adiabatic expansion, isothermal compression, and adiabatic compression.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Carnot cycle consists of four distinct thermodynamic processes that occur in a reversible heat engine. These four events, starting with the reception of heat, are as follows:

1. Isothermal Expansion: The working substance absorbs heat from a high-temperature reservoir while expanding isothermally at this constant temperature, doing work on the surroundings.
2. Adiabatic Expansion: The gas expands without heat exchange (adiabatically), doing work and thus reducing its temperature to that of the low-temperature reservoir.
3. Isothermal Compression: The working substance is compressed isothermally at the lower temperature, releasing heat to the cold reservoir, and work is done on the gas.
4. Adiabatic Compression: The gas is compressed adiabatically, again without heat exchange, which increases its temperature back to that of the high-temperature reservoir.

The total work done by the gas in the Carnot cycle is visualized by the area enclosed by the loop in the pV diagram. This cycle maximizes efficiency for converting heat into work within the constraints of the second law of thermodynamics. A proper understanding of the Carnot cycle is essential in fields such as mechanical engineering and thermodynamics.