Refrigeration Cycle for a heat pump
Built for k-12 students learning it in middle or high school. Watch the idea come alive with plain-language steps and everyday examples — perfect for projects and homework. Simulate a heat pump live below — adjust the inputs and watch it respond, right in your browser.
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A heat pump does not make heat — it moves it, so it can deliver several kilowatts of warmth per kilowatt of electricity. The coefficient of performance is that ratio, capped by the Carnot limit T_hot/(T_hot − T_cold). The colder it gets outside, the harder the pump works and the lower the COP — but even at freezing it beats a resistance heater several times over.
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Governing equation
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The Carnot cycle — two isothermal and two adiabatic steps — is the most efficient possible heat engine between two temperatures. Its efficiency depends only on the reservoir temperatures: η = 1 − Tc/Th. No real engine can beat it, which is why raising the hot temperature or lowering the cold one is the only path to higher efficiency.
Data Inspector
Governing equation
Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.
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Frequently asked questions
- Is this good for k-12 students?
- Yes — this version of "Refrigeration Cycle for a heat pump" is framed for k-12 students learning it in middle or high school. Watch the idea come alive with plain-language steps and everyday examples — perfect for projects and homework.
- Do I need to install anything?
- No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.