Adiabat

/ˈædiəbæt/ noun

Definition

A line or curve on a thermodynamic diagram that represents a process where a system changes without exchanging heat with its surroundings.

Etymology

From adiabatic (Greek a- 'not' + diabainein 'to pass through') + -at (suffix creating a noun from an adjective). A technical term from 19th-century thermodynamics.

Kelly Says

When air rises in the atmosphere without any heat exchange, it follows an adiabat—this is why mountains have snow at the top even in warm regions, because rising air cools without absorbing heat from elsewhere!

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