Showerthoughts

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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. A showerthought should offer a unique perspective on an ordinary part of life.

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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? [@[email protected]](h (social.graves.cl)

submitted 9 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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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? @[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 54 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (3 children)

Technically, yes. Even the internal resistances outside of the heating elements eventually radiate into the space. Since the purpose is space heating, it's not a waste product and they can be roughly considered 100% efficient.

The reason heat pumps are more efficient (i.e. around 300% or more) is not that they create more heat from the same amount of energy but because they concentrate and move existing heat from one source to another.

[–] [email protected] 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.

[–] [email protected] 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

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

If so that means moving a block of ice has negative heat efficiency. Sounds like nitpicking to me.