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UPSC ESE Second Law of Thermodynamics — practice questions

Explore 29 free Second Law of Thermodynamics questions in UPSC ESE Physics. Open each question or exercise to read its content, reference answers and available explanation.

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Second Law of Thermodynamics questions and exercises with answers

Showing questions 1–29 of 29.

A process can only be reversible if every step keeps the system at equilibrium. That requirement is:Read the answer and worked solution →A reversible process is best described as:Read the answer and worked solution →In reality, almost all real processes are:Read the answer and worked solution →The sign of an irreversible process is the presence of a finite:Read the answer and worked solution →A device that takes in heat and turns part of it into mechanical work is a:Read the answer and worked solution →To build a working heat engine you need more than one heat:Read the answer and worked solution →Power plants and internal combustion engines are both examples of:Read the answer and worked solution →A heat engine works by carrying a working substance through a:Read the answer and worked solution →An engine run backwards to remove heat from a cold space is called a:Read the answer and worked solution →A household refrigerator removes heat from food and exhausts it to the:Read the answer and worked solution →Inside a fridge, the coolant takes up heat and vaporises at the:Read the answer and worked solution →The statement that heat never flows on its own from cold to hot is due to:Read the answer and worked solution →A device that moved heat from cold to hot with no work input would be a:Read the answer and worked solution →The second law is stated in how many main ways in this text, Clausius and Kelvin?Read the answer and worked solution →The hypothetical cycle with the highest possible efficiency was proposed in:Read the answer and worked solution →On a pressure volume diagram, the work done in a Carnot cycle equals the:Read the answer and worked solution →Because compression in the Carnot cycle is adiabatic, the gas temperature:Read the answer and worked solution →As the gap between hot and cold reservoir temperatures widens, Carnot efficiency:Read the answer and worked solution →The thermodynamic variable used to express the second law is denoted by S. It is:Read the answer and worked solution →Entropy change between two states depends only on the states, not on the:Read the answer and worked solution →Over one complete Carnot cycle, the net change in the engine's entropy is:Read the answer and worked solution →Catch the thermal devicesRead the answer and worked solution →Pop the irreversible signsRead the answer and worked solution →Run the thermal gatesRead the answer and worked solution →Slice the thermal wordsRead the answer and worked solution →Engine or refrigeratorRead the answer and worked solution →Sort the thermal ideasRead the answer and worked solution →Type the numberRead the answer and worked solution →Thermodynamics bingoRead the answer and worked solution →

Worked practice questions

A process can only be reversible if every step keeps the system at equilibrium. That requirement is:

  1. Quasi static
  2. Quasi stellar
  3. Quasi solid
  4. Quasi sonic
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Correct answer: A. Quasi static

1. The system must never be far from balance. 2. Each step happens very slowly. 3. That requirement is quasi static. _Source: OpenStax University Physics Volume 2, Chapter 4, The Second Law of Thermodynamics._

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A reversible process is best described as:

  1. An inner
  2. An ideal
  3. An icy
  4. An idle
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Correct answer: B. An ideal

1. It is used as a reference case. 2. It hardly ever occurs in practice. 3. So it is an ideal process. _Source: OpenStax University Physics Volume 2, Chapter 4, The Second Law of Thermodynamics._

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In reality, almost all real processes are:

  1. Irreversible
  2. Irregular
  3. Irritating
  4. Irrelevant
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Correct answer: A. Irreversible

1. Something in the surroundings always changes. 2. The original state cannot be fully restored. 3. So real processes are irreversible. _Source: OpenStax University Physics Volume 2, Chapter 4, The Second Law of Thermodynamics._

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