What is a reversible process? What is an irreversible process?
A reversible process is a process where work production is the maximum allowed by the Carnot principle. An irreversible process is a process where the work is less than allowed by the Carnot principle. Work readily reverts to heat. In order to capture work, controlled expansion has to take place in a device such as a turbine; there must be a means of getting the work out of the system such as a mechanical shaft – thus the name shaft work.
