A steam engine with a boiler temperature of 227ºC and an exhaust temperature of 27ºC has a maximum efficiency of approximately

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The maximum efficiency of a heat engine is given by the Carnot efficiency, which is $ \eta = 1 - \frac{T_c}{T_h} $, where $ \eta $ is the efficiency, $ T_c $ is the cold reservoir temperature, and $ T_h $ is the hot reservoir temperature, both in Kelvin. Converting the given temperatures to Kelvin: $ T_h = 227 + 273 = 500K $ and $ T_c = 27 + 273 = 300K $. Thus, $ \eta = 1 - \frac{300}{500} = 0.4 $ or 40%.

A Steam Engine with a Boiler Temperature of 227ºC and an Exhaust