Isotoimisesti

Isotoimisesti is a Finnish term that can be translated to "isothermally" in English. It refers to a process that occurs at a constant temperature. In physics and chemistry, many processes are idealized or approximated as occurring isothermally, especially when the system is in close contact with a large thermal reservoir, allowing heat to flow in or out as needed to maintain a stable temperature.

For instance, in thermodynamics, an isothermal expansion or compression of a gas involves a change in volume and pressure while the temperature remains unchanged. This typically requires the gas to exchange heat with its surroundings. Another example is a phase transition, such as melting or boiling, which occurs at a specific temperature under constant pressure, and thus can be considered an isothermal process if the temperature is held constant.

The concept of isothermal processes is fundamental in understanding the behavior of systems and in calculating work done, heat transferred, and changes in internal energy. Many experimental setups are designed to achieve or closely approximate isothermal conditions to simplify measurements and theoretical analysis. The term "isotoimisesti" in Finnish directly conveys this idea of maintaining a constant temperature throughout a process.