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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 11 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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[-] pixxelkick@lemmy.world 9 points 11 months ago

Only heaters are a machine where the "good" output is one you want to be heat.

For other devices the heat is the bad part.

But since your goal with a heater... is to generate heat... and all energy eventually will become heat, it is close to 100% efficient.

If you can hear the heater's sound it makes in a room/area you don't want to be heating though, now it's <100% efficient as a tiny bit of energy became heat that heated the non ideal location.

[-] kakes@sh.itjust.works 3 points 11 months ago

Fun fact: this phenomenon is what causes the infamous "hot ear" effect that many people suffer from every day.

this post was submitted on 17 Feb 2024
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