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Let us start the cycle at
(V1,P1),
which is in the lower left corner of the diagram,
and subsequently follow the cycle as indicated by the arrows.
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In the isochoric process (V1,P1)→(V1,P2)
heat is supplied to the gas, thereby increasing the pressure of the gas
from
P1
to
P2
at constant volume
V1.
This part of the cycle compares to the explosion of gasoline vapor
in one of the cylinders of your vehicle,
right at the point where the volume of the gas is at its minimum.
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Next, we arrive at
(V1,P2)
in the upper left corner of the diagram.
The wheel is now positioned such that it is ready to receive
the principal push from the expanding gas,
while the gasoline explosion still continues to deliver heat.
The gas expands from volume V1 to the larger volume
V2
at the constant pressure
P2.
It is in that part of the process that work is delivered.
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We arrive at (V2,P2)
in the upper right corner of the diagram.
The explosion has finished and heat is being transferred
to the interior of the vehicle in order to create a pleasant ambience
for the driver and her passenger, despite the freezing atmospheric
conditions.
In cooling down the gas, its pressure decreases from
P2
to the lower pressure
P1
at the constant volume
V2.
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We arrive at (V2,P1)
in the lower right corner of the diagram.
From here, the moving wheel gives through its inertia
a push to the piston such that the volume of the gas is reduced
from V2
to the lower volume
V1
at the constant pressure
P1.
In this part of the cycle the wheel excerts work on the gas,
whereas moreover more heat is channeled to the interior of the vehicle.
We arrive at (V1,P1)
in the lower left corner of the diagram.
From there, the cycle starts again.
In the adjacent animation the system performs one more cycle in order to fill
the cylinder with fuel.
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