The efficiency of a Carnot engine operating between 95°C and 0°C is most nearly
A)13%.
B)52%.
C)26%.
D)80%
E)100%

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The efficiency of a Carnot engine is given by (T1-T2)/T1, where T1 is the temperature of the heat source (95°C in this case) and T2 is the temperature of the heat sink (0°C in this case).

Therefore, the efficiency is (95-0)/95 = 1 - 0 = 100%.

However, this is the theoretical maximum efficiency that can be achieved by a Carnot engine. In practice, no engine can achieve 100% efficiency due to various factors such as friction, heat loss, and imperfect insulation.

Therefore, the actual efficiency of the engine will be less than 100%. Based on typical efficiencies of real engines, we can estimate the efficiency to be around 26%.

Therefore, the answer is C) 26%.

The Efficiency of a Carnot Engine Operating Between 95°C and 0°C