A heat pump takes in energy from a 250 K thermal reservoir outside a house and discharges 140 J of energy into a 350 K thermal reservoir inside a house. What is the minimum amount of work needed to make the pump work?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The minimum amount of work needed is given by the formula Wmin = Q1(1-T2/T1). Plugging in the given values, we have Wmin = 140(1-350/250) = 40 J. Therefore, the correct choice is C.

A Heat Pump Takes in Energy from a 250 K