Adiabat

An adiabat is a thermodynamic process in which there is no transfer of heat or matter between a system and its surroundings. In other words, it is a process where the system is isolated from its surroundings and does not exchange energy or matter with it.

In atmospheric science, adiabatic processes are important for understanding how the temperature of air changes as it rises or falls in the atmosphere. As air rises in the atmosphere, it expands and cools, while as it sinks it compresses and warms up. These processes are called adiabatic cooling and adiabatic heating, respectively.

Adiabatic processes are also used in various industrial applications, such as in the compression or expansion of gases in gas turbines or refrigeration systems. In such cases, the system is designed to minimize heat transfer to or from the surroundings in order to maximize the efficiency of the process.