this post was submitted on 17 Feb 2024
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Showerthoughts

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If a machine is never 100% efficient transforming energy into work because part of the energy is converted into heat, does it mean an electric heater is 100% efficient? [@showerthoughts@lemmy.world](h (social.graves.cl)
submitted 9 months ago by alvaro@social.graves.cl to c/showerthoughts@lemmy.world
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If a machine is never 100% efficient transforming energy into work because part of the energy is converted into heat, does it mean an electric heater is 100% efficient? @showerthoughts@lemmy.world

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[โ€“] LastYearsPumpkin@feddit.ch 15 points 9 months ago (1 children)

This is correct, but it's also, it's only 100% of the heat at that point in the circuit.

Technically, using natural gas to make electricity, then sending that electricity to an electric heater would be less efficient than burning that natural gas for heat at the source.

So it depends on where you start counting from.

[โ€“] ptz@dubvee.org 14 points 9 months ago

True, and also the transmission losses between the power plant and your outlets are also factors. I just treated the question like a high school physics one where you're allowed to disregard air resistance. lol