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The efficiency Eff of an energy conversion process is defined as which ratio?
ATotal energy input divided by useful energy output
BUseful energy or work output divided by total energy input
CKinetic energy divided by potential energy
DTotal energy input minus total energy output
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. Useful energy or work output divided by total energy input
1. Efficiency is defined as a measure of how effectively input energy is converted into useful work.
2. In equation form, this is the useful energy or work output divided by the total energy input.
3. Inverting that ratio, or subtracting output from input, does not give the standard fractional definition used for efficiency throughout the mechanical devices and human activities considered here.
4. Kinetic energy divided by potential energy is an unrelated ratio that has nothing to do with how effectively a device converts input energy.
_Source: OpenStax College Physics (CC BY 4.0), Ch 7 "Work, Energy, and Energy Resources", section 7.6 Conservation of Energy_
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