The Carnot cycle is a thermodynamic cycle that involves heat engines, and its synonyms include Carnot process, Carnot heat engine, Carnot's theorem, and Carnot's principle. The cycle was developed by Sadi Carnot, and it maximizes the efficiency of heat engines by using two isothermal processes and two adiabatic processes. The Carnot process is a theoretical concept, but it serves as a basis for understanding many real-world applications, such as refrigeration and power plants. The cycle's key principles have also been applied to the study of thermodynamics and its laws. Despite its theoretical nature, the Carnot cycle has been critical to the development of modern technology and engineering.