Question

Distinguish between an isothermal and an adiabatic process.

Answer 1

Thermodynamic process involves the transfer of the heat between the system and the surrounding. It is of four types as isothermal, adiabatic, isobaric and the isochoric process. The isothermal process maintains the same temperature and the adiabatic process involves the temperature changing of the system.

Complete step by step answer:

Isothermal process	Adiabatic process
In this isothermal process, the exchange between the system and the surrounding takes place.	In the adiabatic process, there is no interchange between the system and the surrounding.
As the name isothermal indicates, the temperature of the material remains the same without any change.	The temperature of the material may either increase or decrease.
In order to maintain the same temperature throughout the process, the heat is either added or removed from the system.	There is no addition of the removal of the heat from the system, the temperature is maintained as it was. Hence this tends to increase or decrease the temperature.
Transformation is slow	The transformation is fast when compared to that of the isothermal process.
In this process of isothermal, temperature of the system alone remains constant.	In this process, the total heat of the system remains constant.
The pressure of the system is more at a considered volume.	The pressure is less at a given volume.
Temperature of the system is constant	The temperature changes.
The work done in this process is mainly due to the changes in the heat content.	Here, the work done is due the changes in the internal energy.

Note: In the isothermal process, the change in the temperature is zero $\left( {\Delta T = 0} \right)$ and this process is regarded as the ideal process. In the adiabatic process, $Q = 0$ . The work done in the adiabatic process is very less than the isothermal process.