Efficiency of the Carnot cycle

In this derivation we shall show that the efficiency of the Carnot cycle only depends on the
temperatures of the heat source and the heat sink, regardless of the type of gas used in the
process. (You can do this on your own if you follow the steps in the supplemental WS TS2, the
easy way part)

Lets say a heat engine goes through the Carnot cycle in 4 steps as follows:
(i) Isothermal expansion from V1 to V2 at constant T1
(ii) Adiabatic expansion from V2 to V3. The temperature goes from T1 to T3.
(iii) Isothermal compression from V3 to V4 at constant T3
(iv) Adiabatic compression from V4 to V1. The temperature goes from T3 to T1.

Using first law, we see:

(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)

We also know that the total change in internal energy for the whole cycle has to vanish:

Thus:

So the efficiency is:

(with ). Now, we use the following formula to have Q in terms of T:

where S is entropy. Since , (because the temperatures are

nonzero). We also know that the Carnot cycle is a reversible process, so . That means:

Therefore:

Notice we did not have to use the ideal gas law at all. So this formula applies for all gases.