Which cycle process has constant temperature?

Study for the EPRI Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow Test. Prepare with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

Which cycle process has constant temperature?

Explanation:
Constant temperature means the process is isothermal. For an ideal gas, temperature staying fixed means the internal energy, which depends only on temperature, does not change (dU = n Cv dT = 0). With T constant, heat added or removed goes entirely into or out of the system as work, so Q = W and the energy balance supports T staying the same. In an isothermal process, the relationship PV = nRT holds with T constant, so pressure and volume adjust inversely to keep their product constant (P ∝ 1/V). This contrasts with the other processes: when pressure is held constant, temperature typically changes as volume changes (T = PV/(nR) with P fixed). When volume is fixed, heat transfer changes temperature since no work is done (W = 0). In an adiabatic process, no heat is exchanged, so temperature changes as the gas expands or compresses, following relations like PV^γ = constant or TV^{γ−1} = constant.

Constant temperature means the process is isothermal. For an ideal gas, temperature staying fixed means the internal energy, which depends only on temperature, does not change (dU = n Cv dT = 0). With T constant, heat added or removed goes entirely into or out of the system as work, so Q = W and the energy balance supports T staying the same.

In an isothermal process, the relationship PV = nRT holds with T constant, so pressure and volume adjust inversely to keep their product constant (P ∝ 1/V). This contrasts with the other processes: when pressure is held constant, temperature typically changes as volume changes (T = PV/(nR) with P fixed). When volume is fixed, heat transfer changes temperature since no work is done (W = 0). In an adiabatic process, no heat is exchanged, so temperature changes as the gas expands or compresses, following relations like PV^γ = constant or TV^{γ−1} = constant.

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