Polytrophic process

The polytrophic process is also known as the general law for the expansion and compression of gases and is given by the relation:

where n is a polytrophic index, which may have any value from zero to infinity, depending upon the manner, in which the expansion or compression has taken place. The various equations for polytrophic process may be expressed by changing the index n for Ɣ in the adiabatic process.

The heat absorbed or rejected during the polytrophic process is given by

Notes:

(a) When n is less than Ɣ , then heat is absorbed by the gas.

(b) When n is greater than Ɣ , then heat is rejected by the gas.

(c) The polytrophic index (n) is given by