written by
Gary Gladding
published by
the University of llinois Physics Education Research Group
This is an interactive homework problem relating to heat engines and Carnot efficiency. A nuclear power plant with a core temperature of 5000 K, and a cooling tower temperature of 373 K is able to produce 1.21 gigawatts of power. Assuming that the plant operates at maximum efficiency, the user is asked to find how much water is evaporated per second at the cooling towers.
This problem is accompanied by a Socratic-dialog "help" sequence designed to encourage critical thinking as users do a guided conceptual analysis before attempting the mathematics. It is part of a larger collection of interactive problems developed by the Illinois Physics Education Research Group. SEE RELATED ITEMS BELOW for a link to the author's full set of interactive problems to support an introductory course in Mechanics and Heat.
<a href="https://www.compadre.org/introphys/items/detail.cfm?ID=6443">Gladding, Gary. Illinois PER Interactive Examples: Nuclear Power Plant. Urbana: University of llinois Physics Education Research Group, June 16, 2006.</a>
G. Gladding, (University of llinois Physics Education Research Group, Urbana, 2006), WWW Document, (https://ie.per.physics.illinois.edu/per/ie/ie.pl?phys101/ie/14/powerplant).
G. Gladding, Illinois PER Interactive Examples: Nuclear Power Plant (University of llinois Physics Education Research Group, Urbana, 2006), <https://ie.per.physics.illinois.edu/per/ie/ie.pl?phys101/ie/14/powerplant>.
Gladding, G. (2006, June 16). Illinois PER Interactive Examples: Nuclear Power Plant. Retrieved April 24, 2025, from University of llinois Physics Education Research Group: https://ie.per.physics.illinois.edu/per/ie/ie.pl?phys101/ie/14/powerplant
Gladding, Gary. Illinois PER Interactive Examples: Nuclear Power Plant. Urbana: University of llinois Physics Education Research Group, June 16, 2006. https://ie.per.physics.illinois.edu/per/ie/ie.pl?phys101/ie/14/powerplant (accessed 24 April 2025).
Gladding, Gary. Illinois PER Interactive Examples: Nuclear Power Plant. Urbana: University of llinois Physics Education Research Group, 2006. 16 June 2006. 24 Apr. 2025 <https://ie.per.physics.illinois.edu/per/ie/ie.pl?phys101/ie/14/powerplant>.
@misc{
Author = "Gary Gladding",
Title = {Illinois PER Interactive Examples: Nuclear Power Plant},
Publisher = {University of llinois Physics Education Research Group},
Volume = {2025},
Number = {24 April 2025},
Month = {June 16, 2006},
Year = {2006}
}
%A Gary Gladding %T Illinois PER Interactive Examples: Nuclear Power Plant %D June 16, 2006 %I University of llinois Physics Education Research Group %C Urbana %U https://ie.per.physics.illinois.edu/per/ie/ie.pl?phys101/ie/14/powerplant %O text/html
%0 Electronic Source %A Gladding, Gary %D June 16, 2006 %T Illinois PER Interactive Examples: Nuclear Power Plant %I University of llinois Physics Education Research Group %V 2025 %N 24 April 2025 %8 June 16, 2006 %9 text/html %U https://ie.per.physics.illinois.edu/per/ie/ie.pl?phys101/ie/14/powerplant
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