adiabatic cooling

Adiabatic cooling occurs when a gas expands without exchanging heat with its surroundings. As the gas expands, its molecules spread out, and its temperature drops because the energy used for expansion reduces the internal energy. This process is often observed in nature and engineering, such as in high-altitude weather formation or in refrigeration systems. Essentially, the cooling results from the gas's own expansion doing work on its environment, rather than heat being removed directly. It’s a fundamental thermodynamic principle that explains how temperature decreases during certain natural and mechanical processes.