Title: Investigating Thermal Process (Adiabatic and Isothermal Processes)

I. Introduction: In this laboratory activity, we will explore two fundamental

processes in thermodynamics: adiabatic and isothermal processes. Adiabatic
processes involve the compression or expansion of a gas without heat
exchange with the surroundings, leading to changes in temperature.
Isothermal processes, on the other hand, occur at constant temperature as
heat is exchanged with the surroundings to maintain thermal equilibrium. By
conducting simple experiments, we will observe and compare these two
processes using readily available materials.
II. Objectives:
1. To understand the concepts of adiabatic and isothermal processes.
2. To observe the effects of adiabatic and isothermal processes on the behavior of
gases.
III. Materials:
1. Two identical balloons
2. Two empty plastic bottles with caps
3. A drinking straw
4. A piece of string
5. A marker
6. A thermometer
7. Hot water (from a tap)
8. Ice water (use ice cubes and water)
9. Safety goggles
IV. Procedures:

Safety First: Ensure you are wearing safety goggles throughout the experiment.
Adiabatic Process:
1. Inflate one balloon and tie it securely.
2. Attach the balloon to the neck of one bottle with hot water using the drinking
straw. Make sure it's airtight.
3. Observe what happens to the balloon as the air inside the bottle cools down.
4. Record any changes.
Isothermal Process:
1. Inflate the other balloon and tie it securely.
2. Attach the balloon to the neck of the second bottle with ice water using the
drinking straw. Make sure it's airtight.
3. Observe what happens to the balloon as it sits in the ice water bath.
4. Record any changes.
Temperature Measurement:
1. Insert the thermometer into the bottle's cap without removing the balloons.
2. Record the temperature of the air inside both bottles for both the adiabatic and
isothermal processes.
V. Questions:
1. What happened to the balloons during the adiabatic and isothermal processes,
and how did they differ?
2. How did the temperature change during the adiabatic and isothermal processes?
3. Explain the concepts of adiabatic and isothermal processes in your own words.
VI. Conclusion:

In this experiment, we observed and compared adiabatic and isothermal

processes. During adiabatic compression, the balloon deflated as the air
cooled, while during isothermal cooling, the balloon remained relatively
unchanged due to the constant temperature maintained by the ice water bath.
The temperature measurements supported our observations, highlighting the
difference between these two thermodynamic processes. Adiabatic processes
involve no heat exchange with the surroundings and lead to temperature
changes, while isothermal processes occur at constant temperature with heat
exchange. These concepts are fundamental in thermodynamics and have
practical applications in various fields.