Chapter 24, Problem 45A

Is it possible to construct a heat engine that produces no thermal pollution? Defend your answer.

To determine

To explain: Whether it ispossible to construct a heat engine that will not produce any thermal pollution.

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

According to Second law of Thermodynamics, the entropy of a system cannot decrease and for reversible process it is constant.

  $\Delta S=\frac{\Delta Q}{T}\text{}\text{}$

Where,

  $\Delta S=$ Entropy

  $\Delta Q=$ Heat

  $T=$ Temperature

A heat engine which will not produces any thermal pollution is not possible because in the case the efficiency of the engine is 100% which is not possible practically. According of thermodynamics the entropy cannot decreases, so in the heat is there an energy loss in from hotter body to cooler body and a heat engine in which the energy loss is zero is not possible experimentally.

Conclusion:

Hence, it is not possible to construct a heat engine that will be free from thermal pollution.