The energy added to a heat engine is converted intoMultiple choice question.external work only.work and waste heat.potential energy.waste heat only.

Breakdown the Problem

1. Identify the purpose and components of a heat engine.
2. Analyze how a heat engine operates and converts energy.
3. Evaluate the options provided in the multiple choice question.

Relevant Concepts

• A heat engine converts thermal energy into mechanical energy (work) and generally discharges some energy as waste heat.
• The first law of thermodynamics (conservation of energy) states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed.

Analysis and Detail

1. Heat Engine Functionality: A heat engine absorbs energy (Q_in) from a heat source, does work (W), and releases some energy (Q_out) as waste heat. The relation can be expressed as: $Q_{in} = W + Q_{out}$
2. Determining the Options:
   • External Work Only: This would imply total conversion of energy into work, which is unrealistic due to the inevitability of some waste heat.
   • Work and Waste Heat: This reflects the correct functionality, as energy is split between doing work and being expelled as waste heat.
   • Potential Energy: This is not applicable for a standard heat engine, as potential energy is not a direct product of a heat engine's processes.
   • Waste Heat Only: This would negate the principle of a heat engine, which must also perform work.

Verify and Summarize

• The correct option must incorporate both elements of how a heat engine operates.
• The actual functioning of the heat engine confirms the conversion of energy into both work and waste heat.

Final Answer

The correct answer is work and waste heat.