Mechanical Engineering Exam  >  Mechanical Engineering Questions  >  If a heat engine attains 100% thermal efficie... Start Learning for Free
If a heat engine attains 100% thermal efficiency, it violates
  • a)
    zeroth law of thermodynamics
  • b)
    first law of thermodynamics
  • c)
    second law of thermodynamics
  • d)
    third law of thermodynamic
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?
Verified Answer
If a heat engine attains 100% thermal efficiency, it violatesa)zeroth ...
Such a heat engine is PMM2 which is impossible. It violates kelvin-Plank statement
View all questions of this test
Most Upvoted Answer
If a heat engine attains 100% thermal efficiency, it violatesa)zeroth ...
**Explanation:**

In order to understand why a heat engine with 100% thermal efficiency violates the second law of thermodynamics, let's first define what thermal efficiency is and what the second law states.

**Thermal Efficiency:**
Thermal efficiency is a measure of how effectively a heat engine converts thermal energy into useful work. It is defined as the ratio of the useful work output to the heat input. Mathematically, it can be expressed as:

Thermal Efficiency = (Useful Work Output) / (Heat Input)

**Second Law of Thermodynamics:**
The second law of thermodynamics states that heat cannot spontaneously flow from a colder body to a hotter body. It also states that it is impossible to have a heat engine that operates in a cycle and converts all the heat absorbed from a hot reservoir into work without producing any waste heat.

**Explanation of the Answer:**
If a heat engine attains 100% thermal efficiency, it means that all the heat energy transferred to the engine is converted into useful work, and no waste heat is produced. However, according to the second law of thermodynamics, it is impossible to have a heat engine that operates in a cycle and converts all the heat absorbed from a hot reservoir into work without producing any waste heat.

**Implications:**
If a heat engine were to achieve 100% thermal efficiency, it would violate the second law of thermodynamics in the following ways:

1. **Perpetual Motion:** It would imply the creation of a perpetual motion machine of the second kind, which is not possible according to the second law.

2. **Violation of Kelvin-Planck Statement:** The Kelvin-Planck statement of the second law of thermodynamics states that it is impossible to construct a heat engine that operates in a cycle and produces no other effect except the extraction of heat from a single heat reservoir and the performance of an equivalent amount of work. A heat engine with 100% thermal efficiency would violate this statement by not producing any waste heat.

3. **Violation of Carnot Efficiency:** The Carnot efficiency is the maximum possible efficiency for a heat engine operating between two temperature reservoirs. It is given by the equation: Carnot Efficiency = 1 - (Tc/Th), where Tc is the temperature of the cold reservoir and Th is the temperature of the hot reservoir. If a heat engine had 100% thermal efficiency, it would imply that its efficiency exceeds the Carnot efficiency, which is not possible.

Therefore, a heat engine with 100% thermal efficiency violates the second law of thermodynamics.
Free Test
Community Answer
If a heat engine attains 100% thermal efficiency, it violatesa)zeroth ...
C
Attention Mechanical Engineering Students!
To make sure you are not studying endlessly, EduRev has designed Mechanical Engineering study material, with Structured Courses, Videos, & Test Series. Plus get personalized analysis, doubt solving and improvement plans to achieve a great score in Mechanical Engineering.
Explore Courses for Mechanical Engineering exam

Top Courses for Mechanical Engineering

If a heat engine attains 100% thermal efficiency, it violatesa)zeroth law of thermodynamicsb)first law of thermodynamicsc)second law of thermodynamicsd)third law of thermodynamicCorrect answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?
Question Description
If a heat engine attains 100% thermal efficiency, it violatesa)zeroth law of thermodynamicsb)first law of thermodynamicsc)second law of thermodynamicsd)third law of thermodynamicCorrect answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? for Mechanical Engineering 2024 is part of Mechanical Engineering preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the Mechanical Engineering exam syllabus. Information about If a heat engine attains 100% thermal efficiency, it violatesa)zeroth law of thermodynamicsb)first law of thermodynamicsc)second law of thermodynamicsd)third law of thermodynamicCorrect answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for Mechanical Engineering 2024 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for If a heat engine attains 100% thermal efficiency, it violatesa)zeroth law of thermodynamicsb)first law of thermodynamicsc)second law of thermodynamicsd)third law of thermodynamicCorrect answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?.
Solutions for If a heat engine attains 100% thermal efficiency, it violatesa)zeroth law of thermodynamicsb)first law of thermodynamicsc)second law of thermodynamicsd)third law of thermodynamicCorrect answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? in English & in Hindi are available as part of our courses for Mechanical Engineering. Download more important topics, notes, lectures and mock test series for Mechanical Engineering Exam by signing up for free.
Here you can find the meaning of If a heat engine attains 100% thermal efficiency, it violatesa)zeroth law of thermodynamicsb)first law of thermodynamicsc)second law of thermodynamicsd)third law of thermodynamicCorrect answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? defined & explained in the simplest way possible. Besides giving the explanation of If a heat engine attains 100% thermal efficiency, it violatesa)zeroth law of thermodynamicsb)first law of thermodynamicsc)second law of thermodynamicsd)third law of thermodynamicCorrect answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?, a detailed solution for If a heat engine attains 100% thermal efficiency, it violatesa)zeroth law of thermodynamicsb)first law of thermodynamicsc)second law of thermodynamicsd)third law of thermodynamicCorrect answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? has been provided alongside types of If a heat engine attains 100% thermal efficiency, it violatesa)zeroth law of thermodynamicsb)first law of thermodynamicsc)second law of thermodynamicsd)third law of thermodynamicCorrect answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? theory, EduRev gives you an ample number of questions to practice If a heat engine attains 100% thermal efficiency, it violatesa)zeroth law of thermodynamicsb)first law of thermodynamicsc)second law of thermodynamicsd)third law of thermodynamicCorrect answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? tests, examples and also practice Mechanical Engineering tests.
Explore Courses for Mechanical Engineering exam

Top Courses for Mechanical Engineering

Explore Courses
Signup for Free!
Signup to see your scores go up within 7 days! Learn & Practice with 1000+ FREE Notes, Videos & Tests.
10M+ students study on EduRev