Question

Is it possible for a heat engine to operate without rejecting any waste heat to a low-temperature reservoir? Explain.

Short answer

Provide an explanation. Answer: No, it is not possible for a heat engine to operate without rejecting any waste heat to a low-temperature reservoir. According to the Second Law of Thermodynamics, it is impossible for a heat engine to convert all the heat absorbed from the high-temperature reservoir into work without producing any waste heat. The rejection of waste heat to a low-temperature reservoir is an essential part of the process, as it maintains the thermodynamic balance and allows the heat engine to operate.

Step-by-step solution

Understand the concept of a heat engine and its operation

A heat engine is a device that converts heat (thermal energy) into mechanical work, which can be used to perform tasks or generate electricity. The operation of a heat engine involves the transfer of heat or energy from a high-temperature reservoir to a low-temperature reservoir by doing necessary work. The working substance (usually a gas) that comes in contact with the high-temperature reservoir absorbs heat, expands, and performs work, losing some energy in the process. Then the working substance comes into contact with the low-temperature reservoir and rejects some waste heat before returning to the high-temperature reservoir to repeat the cycle.

Explain the Second Law of Thermodynamics

The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that, in a spontaneous process, the entropy (a measure of disorder) of an isolated system will always increase over time. In other words, heat will flow naturally from a hotter to cooler body, and not vice versa, making it impossible to convert all the heat absorbed by the working substance into work without any rejection of waste heat.

Describe the role of low-temperature reservoir and rejection of waste heat

The role of the low-temperature reservoir in the operation of a heat engine is to absorb the waste heat produced in the process of converting thermal energy into work. The heat engine cannot convert all the absorbed heat into work due to the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which implies that some waste heat must be rejected to the low-temperature reservoir for the heat engine to operate.

Explain the possibility of a heat engine operating without rejecting waste heat

According to the Second Law of Thermodynamics, it is impossible for a heat engine to convert all the heat absorbed from the high-temperature reservoir into work without producing any waste heat. The rejection of waste heat to a low-temperature reservoir is an essential part of the process, as it maintains the thermodynamic balance and allows the heat engine to operate. Therefore, it is not possible for a heat engine to operate without rejecting any waste heat to a low-temperature reservoir.