Adiabatic Process: Examples, Isothermal and Adiabatic Processes Difference

What exactly is the Adiabatic Process?

An adiabatic process is described as a thermodynamic process in which there is no heat exchange from the system to its surroundings during expansion or compression.
It is possible for the adiabatic process to be reversible or irreversible. The following are the necessary conditions for the adiabatic process to occur:
The system must be completely isolated from its surroundings.
The procedure must be completed rapidly to provide enough time for heat transmission to occur.

What exactly is the Adiabatic Process Equation?

The adiabatic process equation is as follows:

PVy = constant
Where,

P denotes the system pressure.
V denotes the system's volume.
is the adiabatic index, which is defined as the ratio of heat capacity at constant pressure (Cp) to heat capacity at constant volume (Cv).

Adiabatic Reversible Process
An isentropic process is a reversible adiabatic process. It is an idealised thermodynamic process that is adiabatic and in which the system's work exchanges are frictionless; there is no heat or matter transfer, and the process is reversible. Such an idealised process can be used in engineering as a model for and comparison to real-world processes.

What exactly is Adiabatic Expansion?
Adiabatic expansion is characterised as an optimum behaviour for a closed system with constant pressure and decreasing temperature.

Example of an Adiabatic Process
There are numerous examples, some of which are listed below:

It is a technique in which gas is compressed and heat is produced. One of the most basic instances is the release of air from a pneumatic tyre.
Adiabatic Efficiency is used to describe the performance of equipment such as nozzles, compressors, and turbines. One of the best uses of the adiabatic process.
One example is a pendulum oscillating on a vertical plane.
An adiabatic system is also a quantum harmonic oscillator.
When we place the ice in the icebox, no heat is lost or gained.

Work Done in Adiabatic Process

Real-World Adiabatic Example
You don't just find these processes in textbooks; they are happening all around you in India!
• Bursting of a Cycle Tube: When a cycle tyre suddenly bursts, the air expands so rapidly that it doesn't have time to absorb heat. It uses its own energy to expand, causing the air to cool down instantly.
• Diesel Engines: Unlike petrol cars, diesel engines don't use spark plugs. They compress the fuel-air mixture so quickly (adiabatic compression) that it becomes hot enough to ignite by itself.
• Sound Waves: When you speak, the compressions and rarefactions of sound waves in the air happen so fast that they are considered adiabatic.
• Atmospheric Air: When air rises quickly in the atmosphere, it expands and cools down, which is a major factor in cloud formation.

What Is the Difference Between the Isothermal and Adiabatic Processes?

The following table explains the isothermal vs. adiabatic process:

Isothermal process	Adiabatic process
An isothermal process is one of the thermodynamic processes that take place at a constant temperature.	An adiabatic process is one of the thermodynamic processes that occurs when there is no heat transfer between the system and its surroundings.
Work done is due to a change in the system's net heat content.	Work done is due to a change in its internal energy.
The temperature can't be changed.	The temperature may be adjusted.
There is a heat transfer.	There is no heat transmission.

Frequently Asked Questions

Define adiabatic process?

It is a thermodynamic process. In this process, no heat is transferred into or out of the system. The process is a reversible process with constant entropy for an ideal gas. Q=0 is the mathematical expression of the adiabatic process.

What exactly is Adiabatic Expansion?

Adiabatic expansion is characterised as an optimum behaviour for a closed system with constant pressure and decreasing temperature.

What exactly is adiabatic compression?

Adiabatic compression of air is described as compression in which no heat is supplied or removed from the air. The internal energy of the air is increases to match the external work done on the air. As the temperature elevates during compression, the pressure of the air exceeds the volume.

In an adiabatic process, which quantity remains constant?

The total heat produced by the system remains constant. When a high-pressure cylinder containing a gas explodes, the gas undergoes transformation.

Why is the adiabatic curve steeper than the isothermal curve?

The slope of an adiabatic curve is γ times steeper than an isothermal one. Because γ (the ratio of specific heats) is always greater than 1, the pressure changes much more drastically for a given change in volume

How do diesel engines use this process?

Diesel engines don't use spark plugs. Instead, they use sudden adiabatic compression to rapidly heat the fuel-air mixture. The temperature rises so high during this fast compression that the fuel ignites spontaneously