Thermodynamic Processes

States of a thermodynamic system can be changed by

interacting with its surrounding through work and heat. When
this change occurs in a system, it is said that the system is
undergoing a process.
A thermodynamic cycle is a sequence of different processes that
begins and ends at the same thermodynamic state.
Some sample processes:
Isothermal process: temperature is constant T=C
Isobaric process: pressure is constant, P=C
Isentropic process: entropy is constant, s=C
Constant-volume process, v=C
Adiabatic process: no heat transfer, Q=0

Process-1
Use ideal gas assumption (closed system):

Isothermal process: T=constant

Energy balance U=Q-W, for ideal gas U=H=0

since both are functions of temperature only

2 dV
mRT
Q=W, W= PdV
dV mRT
1 V
V
V2
P1
mRT ln mRT ln

V
1
P2

Isobaric process: P=constant

2

U=Q-W, W= PdV=P dV=P(V2 V1 )

1

Q U P (V2 V1 ) (U 2 U1 ) P (V2 V1 )
(U 2 PV2 ) (U1 PV1 ) H 2 H1 H

Process-2

Constant volume process: V=constant

Q-W=U, W= PdV 0, no work done
Q=U=mu=m c dT
Adiabatic process: Q=0
v

Q-W=U, -W=U
- W=dU (infinitesimal increment of work and energy)
mRT
dU+PdV=0, mc v dT
dV 0
V
cv dT
dV
RT
cv dT

, integrate and assume

dV 0,
R T
V
V
c v =constant

cv T2
ln ln

R T1

2
V
T 2
,

T 1
V1

Rc

V1

V
2

V1

V2

k 1

Process-3
k 1

T2 V1

T1 V2

, from ideal gas relation

V1
PV=RT,
V2
T2 T1

T1 T2

T1 P2
, substitute

T2 P1
k 1

P2

P1
( k 1)

T2 P2

T1 P1

T2
, multiply

T1

, and

P2
V1

P1
V2

k 1

from both sides

k

k cons tan t
Also PV

PV
and
pV
1 1
2 2
k

For an ideal gas undergoing adiabatic process

Process-4
Polytropic Process: its P-V relation can be expressed as
PVn = constant, where n is a constant for a specific process
Isothermal, T=constant, if the gas is an ideal gas then
PV=RT=constant, n=1
Isobaric, P=constant, n=0 (for all substances)
Constant-volume, V=constant, V=constant(P)(1/n), n=
(for all substances)
Adiabatic process, n=k for an ideal gas
n
n
n
PV

PV

PV
1 1
2 2
2

n
n
W PdV ( PV
)
V
dV
1 1
2

n
(
PV
PV
n
n
1 n
1 n
1 1 )
2 2 PV
1 1
( PV
)
V
dV

(
V

V
)

1 1
2
1
1

n
1 n
1