A heat engine operating between a pair of hot and cold reservoirs with respective temperatures of 500 K and 300 K will have what maximum efficiency?
A) 60%
B) 50%
C) 40%
D) 30%

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The maximum efficiency of a heat engine operating between two reservoirs is given by the Carnot efficiency, which is equal to (Th - Tc)/Th, where Th and Tc are the temperatures of the hot and cold reservoirs, respectively. Therefore, the maximum efficiency of this engine is (500-300)/500 = 40%. The correct choice is C.

A Heat Engine Operating Between a Pair of Hot and Cold