Carnot Cycle (Heat Engine)
This java applet show you the physics processes of a Carnot heat engine.
Carnot cycle is a four-stage reversible sequence consisting of
1. adiabatic compression
2. isothermal expansion at high temperature T2
3. adiabatic expansion
4. isothermal compression at low temperature T1
5. back to stage 1 and continue.
1. Set the starting point (Press, Volume) of the adiabatic compression process:
The program will show the piston position and related information
as you move the mouse inside the P-V region.
Click the mouse to set the initial P-V value.
2. Set the starting point for the isothermal compression process:
click the mouse button again (within the possible region).
3. Press Start button to start the animation, Press Reset to reset the conditions.
The efficiency of the heat engine will be displayed at top-right corner of P-V curve region.
Different color for the gas volume represent its temperature.
Color of the piston:
Red : contact with heat reservior at high T2 。
Red bar within the gas volume is proportional to heat flow(In).
Green: contact with heat reservior at low T1 。
Red bar within the piston region is proportional to heat flow(Out).
(Total length of the red bar is the maximum heat flow during isothermal expansion process)
Blue : adiabatic process。
4. Cp/Cv is the ratio of the specific heat of the gas at constant pressure to that at constant volume.
You can enter any value larger than 1. (Be reasonable, OK!)
It will reset the program automatically.
5. When the mouse is within P-V region (while animation is suspended)
The P, V values will be shown at the top.
Your suggestions are highly appreciated!
E-mail : Please click hwang@phy03.phy.ntnu.edu.tw
Author:Fu-Kwun Hwang, Dept. of physics, National Taiwan Normal University
Last modified :