Heat Engines
“A heat engine is a machine that converts heat into work” (Heat Engines).  A heat engine absorbs a quantity of energy from a hot reservoir, does work, and then gives up a quantity of energy to the cold reservoir.  In the example of an ICE, gasoline is burned, creating heat and expanding the gasses.  This expansion pushes the piston down the cylinder and the excess heat is carried out through the coolant system or exhaust.  The work done by the engine can be determined using the equation: W=Q(hot) - Q(cold)

The efficiency of a heat engine can be determined using the equation: e=W/Q(hot)

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