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Isothermal compressibility is a thermodynamic property that measures the relative volume change of a substance in response to a pressure change at constant temperature. It quantifies how much a material compresses under pressure while maintaining a constant temperature.
The calculator uses the formula:
Where:
Explanation: This formula relates isothermal compressibility to the ratio of heat capacities and isentropic compressibility, providing a fundamental relationship in thermodynamics.
Details: Isothermal compressibility is crucial for understanding material behavior under pressure, designing pressure vessels, studying fluid dynamics, and analyzing thermodynamic processes in various engineering and scientific applications.
Tips: Enter molar specific heat capacities at constant pressure and volume in J/(mol·K), and isentropic compressibility in m²/N. All values must be positive and non-zero for accurate calculation.
Q1: What is the difference between isothermal and isentropic compressibility?
A: Isothermal compressibility measures volume change at constant temperature, while isentropic compressibility measures volume change at constant entropy (adiabatic process).
Q2: Why is the ratio Cₚ/Cᵥ important in this calculation?
A: The ratio Cₚ/Cᵥ (also known as the adiabatic index or heat capacity ratio) relates how a substance responds to compression under different thermodynamic conditions.
Q3: What are typical values for isothermal compressibility?
A: Values vary significantly by material. Gases have high compressibility (large values), while liquids and solids have much lower compressibility (small values).
Q4: How does temperature affect isothermal compressibility?
A: For most substances, compressibility increases with temperature as molecular interactions weaken and materials become more easily compressed.
Q5: What are practical applications of isothermal compressibility?
A: Applications include petroleum engineering (reservoir characterization), material science (characterizing material properties), and chemical engineering (process design involving compressible fluids).