🚀 go-pugleaf

>In Hewitt's conceptual physics he asks the following question:
>
>Which heat engine has the greater ideal efficiency; one that operates
>between the temp. 600 K and 400 K, or one that operate between 500 K and
>300 K?  Explain how your answer conforms to the idea that a higher
>operating temp. yeilds higher efficiency.
>
        The way I understand it, the statement that the efficiency increases as
the operating temperature increases has an unwritten qualification: the low
temperature is constant. In that case, the operating temperature is the high
temperature. I believe not stating the assumption comes from the realization
that most engines have the same low temperature - aproximately room
temperature. That qualification also means the statement does not apply in the
given situation.

soap box:
        It seems far to common to find "generalized" statements without stating
the underlying assumptions (alot of folk lore falls into this catagory it
seems).
Ray

Raymond N. Enzweiler                    phone: 606-572-6553
Department of Physics and Geology
Northern Kentucky University            e-mail: RENZWEILER@NKU.EDU
Heighland Heights, KY  41099-1900