Thermodynamics — MEEN 315

Polytropic processes are those processes in which $pV^n=c$. Variation in the value of $n$ corresponds to a few key types of processes.

• $n=0$ corresponds to a constant pressure, isobaric process
• $n=1$ corresponds to a constant temperature, isothermal process
• $n\rarr\infin$ corresponds to a constant volume, isometric process
• $n=k=\frac{c_p}{c_v}$ corresponds to an adiabatic process in which no heat transfer occurs. Rapid processes are often approximately adiabatic because they do not allow time for thermal equilibration.