Hot reservoir

Definition

A hot reservoir is a source of thermal energy at a relatively high temperature that supplies heat to a heat engine. It is essential for the conversion of thermal energy into work.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The efficiency of a heat engine depends on the temperature difference between the hot reservoir and the cold reservoir.
2. Heat flows spontaneously from the hot reservoir to the working substance of the engine as per the Second Law of Thermodynamics.
3. The Carnot efficiency represents the maximum possible efficiency for a heat engine operating between a given hot and cold reservoir.
4. In practical applications, hot reservoirs are often maintained using fuels, electricity, or solar energy.
5. The temperature of the hot reservoir directly impacts the amount of work that can be extracted by the heat engine.

Review Questions

• How does an increase in the temperature of a hot reservoir affect the efficiency of a heat engine?
• What role does a hot reservoir play in relation to the Second Law of Thermodynamics?
• Why is it impossible for any real engine to achieve Carnot efficiency?

Related terms

Cold Reservoir: A sink where waste heat from a heat engine is expelled, typically at a lower temperature than the hot reservoir.

Carnot Cycle: A theoretical thermodynamic cycle that defines the maximum possible efficiency for any heat engine operating between two temperatures.

Second Law of Thermodynamics: \text{This law states that total entropy can never decrease over time for an isolated system, and it dictates that natural processes increase overall entropy.}