A polytropic process is a thermodynamic process that follows the relation $$PV^n = ext{constant}$$, where $$P$$ is pressure, $$V$$ is volume, and $$n$$ is the polytropic index. This process encompasses various types of thermodynamic processes, including isothermal, adiabatic, and isochoric, depending on the value of $$n$$. The versatility of a polytropic process makes it important in analyzing real-world scenarios where heat transfer occurs during expansion or compression, connecting it to moving boundary work and cycles.
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