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Carnot's theorem: all reversible engines between the same reservoirs are equally efficient

Proved
SecondLawThermo.carnot_theorem_reversible_eq

by Lucas · Oct 9, 2026 · Mathlib 0df444a (Lean v4.33.1)

carnotmathematical-physicssecond-lawthermodynamics

Throughout, Θ\ThetaΘ is a type of empirical temperatures carrying a linear order (s<ts<ts<t means the reservoir at sss is colder than the one at ttt), and a cycle is a finitely supported function c:Θ→Rc:\Theta\to\mathbb Rc:Θ→R: for each reservoir temperature ttt, the number c(t)c(t)c(t) is the net heat absorbed by the device from the reservoir at ttt in one complete cycle (negative when heat is rejected to it), and only finitely many reservoirs are touched. The work delivered in the cycle is

W(c)=∑tc(t),W(c)=\sum_{t} c(t),W(c)=t∑​c(t),

which is the first law for a device returning to its initial state. A set C\mathcal CC of cycles stands for the physically realizable ones; it is assumed to be a convex cone: 0∈C0\in\mathcal C0∈C, c+d∈Cc+d\in\mathcal Cc+d∈C (run two devices side by side), and r⋅c∈Cr\cdot c\in\mathcal Cr⋅c∈C for r≥0r\ge 0r≥0 (scale a device). A cycle is reversible when c∈Cc\in\mathcal Cc∈C and −c∈C-c\in\mathcal C−c∈C. A cycle operates between hhh and kkk when c(t)=0c(t)=0c(t)=0 for every t∉{h,k}t\notin\{h,k\}t∈/{h,k}. A Carnot engine between a hot reservoir hhh and a cold reservoir kkk is a reversible cycle operating between hhh and kkk with c(h)>0c(h)>0c(h)>0, c(k)<0c(k)<0c(k)<0 and W(c)>0W(c)>0W(c)>0. The efficiency relative to the hot reservoir is η=W(c)/c(h)\eta=W(c)/c(h)η=W(c)/c(h).

Statement. Let C\mathcal CC be a convex cone of realizable cycles satisfying the Clausius statement and let k<hk<hk<h. Any two Carnot engines e,e′e,e'e,e′ between hhh and kkk have the same efficiency:

η(e)=η(e′).\eta(e)=\eta(e').η(e)=η(e′).

This is the second clause of Carnot's theorem, and the article's starting point for the definition of thermodynamic temperature: "The efficiency of a quasi-static or reversible Carnot cycle depends only on the temperatures of the two heat reservoirs, and is the same, whatever the working substance."

Preamble
import Definitions.Def_SecondLawThermo_Defs
import Mathlib

Formal statement
namespace SecondLawThermo

theorem carnot_theorem_reversible_eq {Θ : Type*} [LinearOrder Θ] (𝒞 : Set (Cycle Θ))
    (h𝒞 : IsCycleCone 𝒞) (hCl : ClausiusStatement 𝒞) (h k : Θ) (hkh : k < h)
    (e e' : Cycle Θ) (he : IsCarnotEngine 𝒞 e h k) (he' : IsCarnotEngine 𝒞 e' h k) :
    efficiency e h = efficiency e' h := by sorry

end SecondLawThermo
Source
Wikipedia, "Second law of thermodynamics", revision oldid=1378607758, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Second_law_of_thermodynamics&oldid=1378607758; sections "Carnot's principle" and "Carnot's theorem", second clause
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What the Lean code literally says, in plain math · Aristotle (Harmonic), the drafting agent itself; non-blind read-back

Disclosure: this read-back is NOT blind. It was written by the same agent (Aristotle, by Harmonic) that drafted these Lean statements, with full knowledge of the source text and of the intended meaning. It is therefore not independent testimony and must not be mistaken for an independent audit. Reviewers should check the Lean code against the source themselves.

Let Θ\ThetaΘ be linearly ordered and C\mathcal CC a set of finitely supported functions Θ→R\Theta\to\mathbb RΘ→R, with W(c):=∑tc(t)W(c):=\sum_t c(t)W(c):=∑t​c(t); assume 0∈C0\in\mathcal C0∈C, closure under addition and under scaling by nonnegative reals, and that for all k′<h′k'<h'k′<h′ every d∈Cd\in\mathcal Cd∈C vanishing outside {h′,k′}\{h',k'\}{h′,k′} with W(d)=0W(d)=0W(d)=0 has d(k′)≤0d(k')\le0d(k′)≤0. Fix k<hk<hk<h and two functions e,e′e,e'e,e′, each satisfying: it and its negation lie in C\mathcal CC, it vanishes outside {h,k}\{h,k\}{h,k}, its value at hhh is positive, its value at kkk is negative, and its total sum is positive. Then

W(e)e(h)=W(e′)e′(h).\frac{W(e)}{e(h)}=\frac{W(e')}{e'(h)}.e(h)W(e)​=e′(h)W(e′)​.

Both efficiencies are taken relative to the same hot reservoir hhh. The statement asserts equality of these two ratios only; it does not assert that eee and e′e'e′ are proportional, nor give the common value.

Human review
  • Endorsed by Shuze Chen · Oct 10, 2026

    Confirmed by the moderator at approval.

  • Endorsed by Lucas · Oct 10, 2026

    Confirmed by the mission captain (proposal self-audit).

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