An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

1) Math.: Describing a function which has different values for one variable.
2) Thermodynamics: Pertaining to pressure and volume change that maintains specific heat. → polytropic process.

→ poly- + → -tropic.

A change in the → pressure or → volume of a → gas in a → polytropic process.

→ polytropic; → change.

A gas capable of undergoing a → polytropic process.

→ polytropic; → gas.

A number appearing in the equation describing a → polytropic process.

→ polytropic; → index.

A thermodynamic process that obeys the relation: PVⁿ = C, where P is pressure, V is volume, n is any real number, called the → polytropic index, and C is a constant.
If n = 0, then P = C and it is an → isobaric process.
If n = 1, then for an → ideal gas PV = NkT = C and it is an → isothermal process.
If n = γ, → adiabatic index, then for an ideal gas it is an → adiabatic process.

→ polytropic; → process.