Adiabatic expansion is a thermodynamic process in which a gas expands, doing work on its surroundings, without exchanging heat with its environment. This results in a decrease in the internal energy and temperature of the gas, following the principle of energy conservation in an isolated system.

Adiabatic Expansion

Adiabatic expansion

A thermodynamic process is a series of states through which a system passes, often involving energy transfer in the form of heat or work, while adhering to the laws of thermodynamics. These processes are fundamental to understanding how energy is conserved and transformed in physical systems, impacting everything from engines to refrigerators.

thermodynamic process

gas expands

doing work

surroundings

exchanging heat

Internal energy is the total energy contained within a system, encompassing both kinetic and potential energy at the molecular level. It is a state function, meaning its change depends only on the initial and final states of the system, not on the path taken to get there.

internal energy

temperature of the gas

principle of energy conservation

An isolated system is a physical system that does not exchange matter or energy with its surroundings, making it an idealized concept in thermodynamics. In reality, perfectly isolated systems do not exist, but the concept is useful for simplifying and analyzing complex systems by assuming no external interactions.

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