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
    

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