Question

A steam engine takes in superheated steam at 270 °C and discharges condensed steam from its cylinder at 50 °C. The engine has an efficiency of 30%, and taken in 50 kJ from the hot steam per cycle. If a Carnot engine takes in the same amount of heat per cycle and operates at these temperatures, the work it can turn into is most likely to be:a) 15 kJ. b) 20 kJ. c) 10 kJ. d) 50 kJ.

Answer 1

b) 20 kJ

Step-by-step explanation:

Efficiency of carnot engine = (T₁ - T₂ ) / T₁ Where T₁ is temperature of hot source and T₂ is temperature of sink .

T₁ = 270 + 273 = 543K

T₂ = 50 + 273 = 323 K

Putting the given values of temperatures

efficiency = (543 - 323) / 543

= .405

heat input = 50 KJ

efficiency = output work / input heat energy

.405 = output work / 50

output work = 20.25 KJ.

= 20 KJ .