An ideal gas undergoes a process in which its pressure and volume are related as , where is a consta — Thermodynamics and Thermochemistry Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

The molar heat capacity for a polytropic process $PV^n = \text{constant}$ is given by $C = C_v + \frac{R}{1-n}$. Setting $C = 0$ requires $C_v = \frac{-R}{1-n}$. Since $C_v = \frac{R}{\gamma-1}$, equating them yields $\frac{R}{\gamma-1} = \frac{R}{n-1}$, which resolves to $n = \gamma$. This strictly represents an adiabatic process.