8. Second law of thermodynamics

8. Second law of thermodynamics

1. Heat engines

Heat engines work via the circulation of a working substance from a hot reservoir to a cold reservoir and the transformation of a part of the heat to work.

Heat $Q_h$ is taken from a hot reservoir at a temperature of $T_h$, parts of it is converted to work $W$ by the heat engine, and the residual heat $Q_c$ is dumped into a cold reservoir at a lower temperature $T_c$.

2. Refrigerators

3. Second law of thermodynamics

The second law of thermodynamics implies that perfect refrigerators and perfect heat engines do not exist

Violating the refrigerator statement of second law violates the engine statement.

Table of Contents

8. Second law of thermodynamics

1. Heat engines

2. Refrigerators

3. Second law of thermodynamics

4. Carnot's cycle

5. Entropy