Carnot cycle
This program can be used to investigate thermodynamic cycle processes. There is a cylinder with a working gas and a piston that can be moved with the mouse. The mouse can also be used to couple or uncouple two heat baths. This makes it easy to carry out isothermal, adiabatic and isochoric changes of state. At the same time, all physical state variables of the working gas (pressure, volume, temperature, internal energy), change in entropy (dS) and work performed (?W) are displayed. The entropy (dS) and heat quantity (?Q) transferred from/to the heat baths and their temperature are also displayed. The temperatures of the heat baths can be set. Once a cycle has been completed, the efficiency achieved is displayed. To do this, the starting point has to be reached as accurately as possible. The efficiency of a heat pump or heat engine is displayed depending on the direction in which the process is running. In addition to the current parameters, the process is displayed in the p(V) diagram and T(S) diagram.
Operation
When the program starts, the left-hand heat bath is at T=600K and the right-hand one at T=300K. By holding down the left mouse button, the flask can be moved up and down to change the volume. The mouse wheel can also be used for this. The heat baths can be connected and disconnected in the same way (move left/right with the mouse). The temperatures of the heat baths can be varied between T=1K and T=1000K using the sliders. The working gas has the substance quantity n=1mol. In the menu of the main window, the windows with the display of p(V) and T(S) as well as the window with the display of the current values can be opened under the item "Window". By clicking on "New cycle", the display is deleted and the variables dS,?Q and?W are set to zero. The functions can be saved or printed as graphics (bmp or jpg) under the "File" menu item.