this post was submitted on 17 Feb 2024
248 points (97.3% liked)

Showerthoughts

29652 readers
879 users here now

A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. The best ones are thoughts that many people can relate to and they find something funny or interesting in regular stuff.

Rules

  1. All posts must be showerthoughts
  2. The entire showerthought must be in the title
  3. Avoid politics (NEW RULE as of 5 Nov 2024, trying it out)
  4. Posts must be original/unique
  5. Adhere to Lemmy's Code of Conduct

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
vatlark@lemmy.world
forkball@lemmy.world
quinten@lemmy.world
Thekingoflorda@lemmy.world
248
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 8 months ago by alvaro@social.graves.cl to c/showerthoughts@lemmy.world
82 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

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

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] sukhmel@programming.dev 8 points 8 months ago (2 children)

The visible part of the spectrum is likely going to be absorbed somewhere far away from the place you're trying to heat up. Also, I'm not educated enough to tell if there will be further losses of energy

[–] CookieOfFortune@lemmy.world 4 points 8 months ago (1 children)

If it’s in a room the visible radiation will still just heat up the room. If you’re using it outdoors and point it away then yeah you’ll have some waste.

[–] sukhmel@programming.dev 4 points 8 months ago

Not sure if visible radiation that leaves through a transparent window will still heat up only inside the room, that what I meant. Probably should have phrased it better

[–] FiskFisk33@startrek.website 3 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

that's only true if you shine it out a very large the window

normally windows cover a quite small fraction of a rooms surface area

but sure, if a few fractions of a percent leave through a window, i guess its technically not a 100% effective space heater, if we define the work as heating only the relevant room.