Exam-style question
Try this first
In a heat engine cycle, what does the area enclosed by the cycle on a p-V diagram represent?.
- A.The total heat input to the engine
- B.The net work output of the engine
- C.The change in internal energy
- D.The efficiency of the engine
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- The net work output of the engine
Explanation
Why this works
The area enclosed by the cycle on a p-V diagram represents the net work done by the engine during the cycle, which is the difference between work done during expansion and compression.
Common mistake
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