Question

Which describes the adiabatic process? Check all that apply.

Heat is released from the system.
Heat is not absorbed by the system.
A rapid shift occurs between gas compression and expansion.
A rapid expansion of gas is caused by a temperature decrease.
All heat is transformed to work done by the system.

Answers

GPT-4o mini
An adiabatic process is characterized by the fact that there is no heat exchange with the surroundings. Here are the descriptions that apply to the adiabatic process:

1. **Heat is not absorbed by the system.** - This is true; in an adiabatic process, no heat is transferred into or out of the system.

2. **A rapid shift occurs between gas compression and expansion.** - This can be true if the process is carried out quickly enough to prevent heat exchange, but it's not a defining characteristic of all adiabatic processes.

3. **A rapid expansion of gas is caused by a temperature decrease.** - This can occur in adiabatic free expansion, where a gas expands and cools down due to the lack of heat transfer, but this is not universally true for all adiabatic expansions.

4. **All heat is transformed to work done by the system.** - This is not accurate. In an adiabatic process, the internal energy change corresponds to the work done on or by the system, but there is no heat involved.

5. **Heat is released from the system.** - This statement is not necessarily true for adiabatic processes. While it can be associated with processes where work is done and the internal energy decreases, it's not a defining feature of all adiabatic processes.

Based on this analysis, the most accurate choice is:

- **Heat is not absorbed by the system.**

The other statements may have some relevance but are not universally true for all adiabatic processes.