What process occurs without the transference of heat between a system and its surroundings?

The process that occurs without the transference of heat between a system and its surroundings is known as an adiabatic process. In this type of process, any changes in the state of the system—like temperature, pressure, or volume—happen without heat exchange, meaning that all the energy transferred is in the form of work. This can happen in systems that are perfectly insulated, wherein the energy changes result solely from work done on or by the system.

In contexts such as thermodynamics, an adiabatic process distinguishes itself from others where heat transfer is explicitly involved. For example, in an isothermal process, the system exchanges heat with its surroundings to maintain a constant temperature. Similarly, an isobaric process involves constant pressure, where heat is added or removed to maintain that pressure, and an isometric process (also referred to as isochoric) involves constant volume, which generally does not allow for work to be done, but it still implies heat transfer to change the internal energy. Consequently, only the adiabatic process fits the description of occurring without any heat transfer.