Heat engines and work

A Carnot engine is a type of engine that allows for the maximum amount of thermodynamic energy to be transformed into work. Although it is physically impossible to create one, the Carnot model is useful for determining the maximum efficiency of an engine. Scientists interested in increasing the fuel efficiency of automobiles begin by developing a heat engine, the closest engineers have come to replicating a Carnot engine.

The heat engine includes a piston that can move up or down allowing work to be done on the gas or allow the gas to do work on the surroundings. Neon, a monatomic ideal gas, is placed in a sealed canister connected to the tightly fitted piston. The canister can be placed in a temperature controlled room which allows heat to be transferred to the gas or allows heat to flow out of the gas. At the start of each experimental trial the gas is reset to a temperature of 298K and atmospheric pressure (101,000Pa). Assume that + work refers to the case where the surroundings do work on the gas, and – work refers to the case where the gas does work on the surroundings.

Figure 1. A diagram of the heat engine the scientists are using.