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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/eng-heat-pump-cop

How is a heating heat pump's coefficient of performance defined?

Heating COP is heat delivered divided by work input.

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  1. Work input divided by heat delivered
  2. Heat delivered divided by work input ✔
  3. Heat removed divided by absolute temperature

Why: For heating, COP = Qh/W. It can exceed one because the device delivers both the input work and heat moved from the colder surroundings.

Huh, didn't know that: A refrigerator uses a different numerator, the heat removed from the cold space.

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The heat pump moved warmth because creating it all alone was too much work.
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References

Answer: Heat delivered divided by work input. For heating, COP = Qh/W. It can exceed one because the device delivers both the input work and heat moved from the colder surroundings.

  1. OpenStax University Physics Volume 2, Refrigerators and Heat Pumps openstax.org/books/university-physics-volume-2/pages/4-3-refrigerators-and-heat-pumps
    coefficient of performance of a heat pump is measured by the heat dumped to the hot reservoir divided by the work done
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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