Isothermal expansion is a thermodynamic process in which the temperature of a system remains constant while it undergoes an increase in volume. This means that the heat entering and leaving the system is balanced, resulting in no net change in temperature.
Isothermal expansion plays a crucial role in many industrial and natural processes, such as in the operation of engines and turbines, and in the expansion and contraction of gases in the Earth's atmosphere. It also allows for the study of gases and their properties under controlled conditions.
In isothermal expansion, the temperature remains constant, while in adiabatic expansion, there is no exchange of heat between the system and its surroundings. This results in a change in temperature in adiabatic expansion, while in isothermal expansion, the temperature remains constant.
The equation for calculating work done in isothermal expansion is W = nRT ln(V2/V1), where n is the number of moles of gas, R is the gas constant, T is the temperature, and V1 and V2 are the initial and final volumes, respectively.
Isothermal expansion is one of the processes that can be described by the ideal gas law, which states that the pressure, volume, and temperature of a gas are related by the equation PV = nRT. In isothermal expansion, the temperature remains constant, so the equation can be simplified to P1V1 = P2V2.