Carnot Cycle

1: A → B 2: B → C
Isothermal Adiabatic
expansion expansion
at Th from Th to Tc
Additional qh
is supplied

3: C → D
4: D →A Isothermal
Adiabatic compression
compression at Tc
from Tc to Th Residual qc
is released

Carnot Cycle

1: A → B 2: B → C
Entropy gain No entropy
q h qc
∆S = qh / Th ∫ dS = +
Th Tc
change

3: C → D
4: D →A
No entropy Entropy loss
change
∆S = qc / Tc
Carnot Cycle (Justification)

For isothermal processes (q = −w)

V V
q h = nRTh ln B , q c = nRTc ln D
VA VC
For adiabatic processes
VATh = VDTc and VCTc = VBTh
c c c c

multiplication of both relations gives,

VAVCTh Tc = VBVDTh Tc
c c c c

∴VAVC = VBVD
VA VD qh T
= =− h
VB VC qc Tc
for a perfect gas

Efficiency of Engine

work perfomed w
efficiency ε= =
heat absorbed qh

q h + qc q
ε= = 1+ c
qh qh
Tc
ε rev = 1 − Carnot efficiency
Th
 Efficiency of Engine

Second law of thermodynamics implies that all reversible

engines have the same efficiency regardless of their construction
if ε engine A > ε engine B

Contrary to Kelvin’s
statement of the 2nd law

General Cycle & Carnot Cycles

Reversible cycle can be

approximated as a collection
of Carnot cycles

qrev qrev
∑
all T
= ∑
perimeter T
=0