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Ch 21: Heat Engines and Refrigerators
Chapter 21, Problem 21

The heat engine shown in FIGURE P21.62 uses 2.0 mol of a monatomic gas as the working substance. b. Make a table that shows ∆Eₜₕ, Wₛ, and Q for each of the three processes.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

First Law of Thermodynamics

The First Law of Thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another. In the context of a heat engine, this principle relates the change in internal energy (∆Eₜₕ) to the work done by the system (Wₛ) and the heat exchanged (Q) with the surroundings, expressed as ∆Eₜₕ = Q - Wₛ.
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Monatomic Gas Properties

Monatomic gases, such as helium or argon, consist of single atoms and exhibit specific thermodynamic behaviors. Their internal energy is directly proportional to temperature and can be calculated using the formula U = (3/2)nRT, where n is the number of moles, R is the ideal gas constant, and T is the temperature in Kelvin. Understanding these properties is essential for analyzing the energy changes in the heat engine.
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Thermodynamic Processes

Thermodynamic processes describe the changes in state variables of a system, such as pressure, volume, and temperature, during energy transfer. Common processes include isothermal (constant temperature), adiabatic (no heat exchange), and isochoric (constant volume). Each process affects the heat engine's performance and efficiency, influencing the values of ∆Eₜₕ, Wₛ, and Q in the table required for the question.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
Home air conditioners in the United States have their power specified in the truly obscure units of tons, where 1 ton is the power needed to melt 1 ton (2000 lb or 910 kg) of ice in 24 hours. A modest-size house typically has a 4.0 ton air conditioner. If a 4.0 ton air conditioner has a coefficient of performance of 2.5, a typical value, at what rate in kW is heat energy removed from the house?
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Textbook Question
100 mL of water at 15℃ is placed in the freezer compartment of a refrigerator with a coefficient of performance of 4.0. How much heat energy is exhausted into the room as the water is changed to ice at -15℃?
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Textbook Question
Which, if any, of the heat engines in FIGURE EX21.22 violate (a) the first law of thermodynamics or (b) the second law of thermodynamics? Explain.
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Textbook Question
At what cold-reservoir temperature (in ℃) would a Carnot engine with a hot-reservoir temperature of 427℃ have an efficiency of 60%?
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Textbook Question
A Carnot engine whose hot-reservoir temperature is 400℃ has a thermal efficiency of 40%. By how many degrees should the temperature of the cold reservoir be decreased to raise the engine's efficiency to 60%?
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Textbook Question
The engine that powers a crane burns fuel at a flame temperature of 2000℃. It is cooled by 20℃ air. The crane lifts a 2000 kg steel girder 30 m upward. How much heat energy is transferred to the engine by burning fuel if the engine is 40% as efficient as a Carnot engine?
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