Cold reservoir

Definition

A cold reservoir is a system or environment that absorbs heat from a working substance in a thermodynamic cycle, allowing the process to continue. It maintains low temperature and facilitates the removal of waste heat from heat engines.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The cold reservoir is essential for maintaining the efficiency of a heat engine by absorbing waste heat.
2. In an ideal Carnot engine, the cold reservoir operates at absolute zero temperature to achieve maximum efficiency.
3. Real-world cold reservoirs include natural bodies like oceans, lakes, and the atmosphere.
4. The temperature difference between the hot and cold reservoirs determines the theoretical maximum efficiency of a heat engine.
5. Cold reservoirs are crucial in power plants where they condense steam back into water after it has passed through turbines.

Review Questions

• What role does the cold reservoir play in a thermodynamic cycle?
• How does the temperature of the cold reservoir affect the efficiency of a heat engine?
• Can you name some real-world examples of cold reservoirs?

Related terms

Heat Engine: A device that converts thermal energy into mechanical work by passing through a cyclic process involving heat transfer.

Carnot Cycle: An idealized thermodynamic cycle proposed by Sadi Carnot that provides maximum possible efficiency for a heat engine operating between two temperatures.

Second Law of Thermodynamics: $\text{This law states that entropy in an isolated system always increases over time and processes occur in such a way as to increase total entropy.}$