a. An engine has a reservoir of 8000 J and has a sink of 1000 J.i. Find the work generated by the engine.
2 answers
It makes sense to speak of sink and (heat) reservoir temperatures, but not energy levels. Whoever conjured up this question should not be teaching science.
A steady-state heat engine that absorbs 8000 J from a high-temperature reservoir and rejects 1000 J to a cold heat sink would produce 7000 J of work. There would be no other place for the energy to go.
The heat engine efficiency would be 87.5%. I know of no heat engines that are that efficient.
The heat engine efficiency would be 87.5%. I know of no heat engines that are that efficient.