Exam-style question
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Explain why no heat engine can be perfectly efficient according to the Second Law of Thermodynamics.
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- No heat engine can be perfectly efficient because, according to the Second Law of Thermodynamics, some energy is always converted to waste heat that cannot be used for work, meaning that the efficiency is always less than 100%.
Explanation
Why this works
This answer effectively summarizes the reason behind the inefficiency of heat engines, linking it to the Second Law of Thermodynamics. The question assesses the ability to apply theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios in thermodynamics.
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