A heat engine utilizes a heat source at 460°C and has an ideal (Carnot) efficiency of 30%. To increase the ideal efficiency to 43%, what must be the temperature of the heat source?
Physics help please
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The ideal efficiency "eta" is given in terms of the ABSOLUTE temperatures (Kelvin!) of the hot and old reservoir between which the engine operates:
eta = 1 - Tlow/Thigh
From the data given we can first determine Tlow (the absolute temperature of the cold reservoir):
Tlow = Thigh*(1-eta) = 732K * (1-0.30) = 512.4K
Now that we know the temperature of the cold reservoir, we can fix that and ask what the temperature of the hot reservoir should be to increase eta:
Thigh = Tlow / (1-eta) = 512.4K / ( 1 - 0.43) = 899 K
That equals 626 Celsius.