Talk:Carnot cycle

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Revision as of 12:13, 18 November 2009 by imported>Paul Wormer (→‎Efficiency: new section)
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 Definition Reversible thermodynamic cycle consisting of: isotherm–isentrope–isotherm–isentrope. [d] [e]
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Efficiency

I am very unhappy about the literature on the efficiency of arbitrary cycles. As a warning for future readers I put here the following note.

I learned in Kindergarten that the Carnot cycle is the most efficient reversible cycle, but I see written in many places that all reversible cycles are equally efficient. Even the great Fermi says so. I gave it quite some thought and came up with the argument in the section "remark". This section does not come from any source (other than my brains), therefore, in a certain sense it could be called research. However, I did not want to follow Fermi, because I think he is careless and borders on being wrong, and I also didn't want to skip the point altogether. It is not out of the question that my former teachers and I are mistaken and therefore this warning. --Paul Wormer 17:13, 18 November 2009 (UTC)