A thermodynamic process is any change that a system undergoes from one state to another, involving changes in its properties such as pressure, volume, temperature, and internal energy.

More specifically, it refers to the way in which a system exchanges energy (in the form of heat or work) with its surroundings, resulting in a transformation of the system’s thermodynamic state.

Key points:

• It connects an initial state of the system to a final state.
• During the process, properties like pressure (P), volume (V), temperature (T), and internal energy (U) may change.
• The process can be reversible or irreversible.
• Examples of thermodynamic processes include:
  • Isothermal (constant temperature)
  • Isobaric (constant pressure)
  • Isochoric or isovolumetric (constant volume)
  • Adiabatic (no heat exchange)

So basically, it’s the pathway the system follows through different states due to heat/work interactions.