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Ch. 20 - Second Law of Thermodynamics
Giancoli Douglas - Physics for Scientists and Engineers 5th edition
Giancoli Douglas5th editionPhysics for Scientists and EngineersISBN: 9780137488179Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 20, Problem 82

Suppose a heat pump has a stationary bicycle attachment that allows you to provide the work instead of using an electrical wall outlet. If your heat pump has a coefficient of performance of 2.0 and you can cycle at a racing pace output of about 200 W for a half hour, how much heat can you provide?

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Understand the problem: A heat pump's coefficient of performance (COP) is given as 2.0, and the work you can provide by cycling is 200 W for 30 minutes. The goal is to calculate the total heat energy (Q) the heat pump can transfer using this work.
Recall the formula for the coefficient of performance (COP) of a heat pump: COP = QW, where Q is the heat transferred and W is the work input. Rearrange this formula to solve for Q: Q = COP × W.
Calculate the total work (W) you can provide by cycling. Work is the product of power and time: W = P × t, where P is the power output (200 W) and t is the time in seconds. Convert 30 minutes to seconds: t = 30 × 60.
Substitute the values of COP (2.0) and the calculated work (W) into the formula for Q: Q = 2.0 × W. This will give the total heat energy transferred by the heat pump.
Perform the multiplication to find the final value of Q. Ensure the units are consistent throughout the calculation, and express the result in joules (J).

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Coefficient of Performance (COP)

The Coefficient of Performance (COP) is a measure of the efficiency of a heat pump, defined as the ratio of heat output to the work input. A COP of 2.0 means that for every unit of work input, the heat pump delivers two units of heat energy. This concept is crucial for understanding how effectively the heat pump converts mechanical work into thermal energy.
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Work and Energy Transfer

In physics, work is defined as the energy transferred when a force is applied over a distance. In the context of the heat pump, the work done by cycling (200 W) over a period (30 minutes) translates into energy input for the heat pump. Understanding the relationship between work, energy, and time is essential for calculating the total energy input into the system.
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Heat Energy Calculation

To determine the total heat energy provided by the heat pump, one must calculate the total work done and multiply it by the COP. The total work done can be found by multiplying the power output (200 W) by the time (0.5 hours or 1800 seconds). This calculation is fundamental for quantifying the heat energy output based on the work input and the efficiency of the heat pump.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

A dehumidifier removes water vapor from air and has been referred to as a “refrigerator with an open door.” The humid air is pulled in by a fan and passes over a cold coil, whose temperature is less than the dew point, and some of the air’s water condenses. After this water is extracted, the air is warmed back to its original temperature and sent into the room. In a well-designed dehumidifier, the heat that is removed by the cooling coil mostly comes from the condensation of water vapor to liquid, and this heat is used to re-warm the air. Estimate how much water is removed in 1.0 h by an ideal dehumidifier, if the temperature of the room is 25°C, the water condenses at 8°C, and the dehumidifier does work at the rate of 550 W of electrical power.

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Textbook Question

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