Q: Explain the Difference between adiabatic and isothermal compression?

A: An adiabatic compressor does not exchange heat with its surroundings so the t
emperature of the compressed material will increase, in an isothermal compressor
the material's temperature is kept constant by expelling heat to it's surroundi
ngs.
Q: Difference between isothermal and adiabatic process?
A: Isothermal process is going on under constant temperature, adiabatic is a pro
cess where no heat is exchanged (this does not imply that temperature is constan
t).
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Adiabatic process: no heat is transferred.
Isothermal process: occurs at a constant temperature.
It might appear that temperature cannot change if no heat is added, but that is
not the case. You can increase the temperature of a gas by compressing it; even
if the piston and cylinder are insulated against heat transfer. Essentially, the
compression process takes mechanical work and converts it to both an increase i
n pressure and an increase in temperature.
You can increase the temperature of a gas in an adiabatic process if you do some
mechanical work on the gas.
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If I was able to decrypt your question correctly, you are asking about the diffe
rence between isothermal and adiabatic processes.
This comes down to the difference between temperature and heat. If you can under
stand that much, you are understanding the difference between isothermal and adi
abatic processes. Temperature is measured with a thermometer. Heat is measured i
n energy units, such as calories.
By the same token, if you totally insulate a system from heat gain or loss, the
temperature inside may change due to heat of reaction, pressure changes, volume
changes, et cetera. This is an adiabatic system. Now take the same system and ap
ply heat or cooling (actually, it is more accurate to say that you are removing
heat than 'cooling') to keep the temperature constant, that is an isothermal sys
tem.
So, adiabatic=same energy, isothermal=same temperature
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Adiabatic Vs Isothermal
In the realm of Physics, specifically in the subject thermodynamics, there are t
wo often discussed concepts that are frequently used in industrial practical app
lication. These concepts are the adiabatic and isothermal processes.
These two processes are the opposite sides of the coin. They are the poles locat
ed at opposite ends so to speak. Firstly, otherwise known as an isocaloric proce
ss, the adiabatic process is when theres no transfer of heat from or towards the
fluid being worked on. Besides, adiabatic would mean impassable if defined liter
ally. Thus, heat is not able to penetrate.
When theres an actual gain or heat loss in the surroundings then the process is t
ermed adiabatic. Because the temperature can change in an adiabatic process due
to internal system variations, the gas in the system may tend to cool down when
expanding. In this connection, it would also mean that its pressure is significa
ntly lesser compared to the other process (isothermal) at a given volume.
As mentioned, the process at the other extreme end that permits transfer of heat
to the surroundings, and thus, making the overall temperature constant (do not
change) is called an isothermal process. If you come to think of it, the word is
othermal when interpreted literally would mean iso (the same), thermal (temperature)
. Hence, there is the same temperature.
In a thermodynamic system, the two main processes involved are adiabatic or isot
hermal. It is regarded as the former when the transformation (fluctuations or va
riations in temperature) are fast enough that no heat was significantly transfer
red between the outside environment and the system. When the transformation is v
ery slow in that same system then the process is isothermal because the temperat
ure of the system remains the same through the exchange of heat with the outer e
nvironment.

1. In an isothermal process, there is an exchange of heat between the system and
the outside environment unlike in adiabatic processes wherein there is none.
2. In an isothermal process, the temperature of the material involved remains th
e same unlike in adiabatic processes wherein the temperature of the material bei
ng compressed may raise.
3. In an isothermal process, heat can be added or released from the system just
to keep the same temperature while in an adiabatic process, theres no heat added
or released because maintaining constant temperature will not matter.
4. In an isothermal process, the transformation is slow while in an adiabatic pr
ocess it is fast.