The Carnot Cycle

• Idealized thermodynamic cycle consisting of four reversible processes (any substance):
  • Reversible isothermal expansion (1-2, TH=constant)
  • Reversible adiabatic expansion (2-3, Q=0, TH?TL)
  • Reversible isothermal compression (3-4, TL=constant)
  • Reversible adiabatic compression (4-1, Q=0, TL?TH)

1-2

2-3

3-4

4-1

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