Carnot Game - Casual Physics

Carnot Game Description

Carnot Game is an interactive game based on the Carnot Cycle, where the player must alternate between three thermal sources (hot, insulator, and cold) to maximize the work done on the piston of a cylinder. The goal is to keep the piston operating in the ideal Carnot cycle, making the transitions between sources at the right time to avoid the cylinder exploding or freezing. The closer the player is to the Carnot cycle, the higher their score and progress.

Objective

The player must click the button to switch between the thermal sources of the system, remembering to make the transitions at the right moments to avoid the piston jamming or the cylinder exploding. The Carnot cycle consists of four thermodynamic processes: Isothermal Expansion, Adiabatic Expansion, Isothermal Compression, and Adiabatic Compression.

Features

Thermal Source Switching: The game allows the player to switch between the hot, cold, and insulator sources with a single button.
Carnot Cycle-based Scoring: The more accurate the player is in performing the thermal transitions, the more work is generated, and the higher their score.
Temperature Visual Effects: Particles show variations in color (from red to blue) and speed, reflecting temperature changes and particle movement within the cylinder.
Pressure Visual Effects: The piston vibrates as the internal pressure of the cylinder increases, which is influenced by the actual collisions of the particles.
Levels and Scoring: The player’s score is classified into different levels based on the cycle's accuracy, such as 'Beginner', 'Curious Student', and up to 'Nicolas Léonard Sadi Carnot' for the most skilled players.
Switch Limitation: The player can only make 9 thermal source switches, with the last switch causing an explosion if it is the hot source.