Question

How could you design a Carnot engine with 100% efficiency?

a) By using ideal gases
b) By reducing friction
c) By increasing reservoir temperatures

Answer 1

To design a Carnot engine with 100% efficiency, you need to use ideal gases and increase the reservoir temperatures.

Step-by-step explanation:

A Carnot engine is a theoretical engine that operates on the Carnot cycle, which consists of four reversible processes: adiabatic expansion, isothermal expansion, adiabatic compression, and isothermal compression. In order to design a Carnot engine with 100% efficiency, two main conditions must be met:

1. Using ideal gases: Ideal gases do not experience any intermolecular forces or energy losses due to collisions, making them the most efficient choice for a Carnot engine.
2. Increasing reservoir temperatures: The efficiency of a Carnot engine is directly proportional to the temperature difference between the hot and cold reservoirs. Therefore, by increasing the temperature of the hot reservoir as much as possible, the efficiency can approach 100%.