This reply clarifies the operation of a Carnot engine at absolute zero, indicating temperature consistency.
This reply addresses a recent comment concerning the proof of the Nernst theorem. I clarify how a Carnot engine can consistently operate at $T=0$ through a continuous deformation of a cycle operating at $T>0$. By examining the limit where heat exchange with the cold reservoir vanishes, I show that the Nernst theorem ensures that the concept of temperature remains physically consistent at the absolute zero limit. SuppMaterial is a pdf animation showing the characterization of T=0 through a limit Carnot engine. The animation requires a pdf viewer with javascript enabled.
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Jose Maria Martin-Olalla (2026) studied this question.
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