its simple form, the compressibility {\displaystyle \beta } \beta may be expressed

as

{\displaystyle \beta =-{\frac {1}{V}}{\frac {\partial V}{\partial p}}} \beta =-

{\frac {1}{V}}{\frac {\partial V}{\partial p}},
where V is volume and p is pressure. The choice to define compressibility as the
opposite of the fraction makes compressibility positive in the (usual) case that an
increase in pressure induces a reduction in volume. It is also known as reciprocal
of bulk modulus(k) of elasticity of a fluid.

Contents
1 Definition
1.1 Relation to speed of sound
1.2 Relation to bulk modulus
2 Thermodynamics
3 Earth science
4 Fluid dynamics
4.1 Aerodynamics
5 Negative compressibility
6 See also
7 References
Definition
The specification above is incomplete, because for any object or system the
magnitude of the compressibility depends strongly on whether the process is
adiabatic or isothermal. Accordingly, isothermal compressibility is defined:

{\displaystyle \beta _{T}=-{\frac {1}{V}}\left({\frac {\partial V}{\partial

p}}\right)_{T}} \beta _{T}=-{\frac {1}{V}}\left({\frac {\partial V}{\partial
p}}\right)_{T},
where the subscript T indicates that the partial differential is to be taken at
constant temperature.

Isentropic compressibility is defined:

{\displaystyle \beta _{S}=-{\frac {1}{V}}\left({\frac {\partial V}{\partial

p}}\right)_{S}} \beta _{S}=-{\frac {1}{V}}\left({\frac {\partial V}{\partial
p}}\right)_{S},
where S is entropy. For a solid, the distinction between the two is usually
negligible.

Relation to speed of sound

The speed of sound is defined in classical mechanics as:

{\displaystyle c^{2}=\left({\frac {\partial p}{\partial \rho }}\right)_{S}}

c^{2}=\left({\frac {\partial p}{\partial \rho }}\right)_{S}
where {\displaystyle \rho } \rho is the density of the material. It follows, by
replacing partial derivatives, that the isentropic compressibility can be expressed
as:

{\displaystyle \beta _{S}={\frac {1}{\rho c^{2}}}} \beta _{S}={\frac {1}{\rho

c^{2}}}
Relation to bulk modulus
The inverse of the compressibility is called the bulk modulus, often denoted K
(sometimes B). The compressibility equation relates the isothermal compressibility
(and indirectly the pressure) to the structure of the liquid.

Thermodynamics
Main article: Compressibility factor
The term "compressibility" is also used in thermodynamics to describe the deviance
in the thermodynamic properties of a real gas from those expected from an ideal
gas. The compressibility factor is defined as

{\displaystyle Z={\frac {p{\underline {V}}}{RT}}} Z={\frac {p{\underline {V}}}{RT}}

where p is the pressure of the gas, T is its temperature, and {\displaystyle
{\underline {V}}} {\underline {V}} is its molar volume. In the case of an ideal
gas, the compressibility factor Z is equal to unity, and the familiar ideal gas law
is recovered:

{\displaystyle p={RT \over {\underline {V}}}} p={RT \over {\underline {V}}}

Z can, in general, be either greater or less than unity for a real gas.

The deviation from ideal gas behavior tends to become particularly significant (or,
equivalently, the compressibility factor strays far from unity) near the critical
point, or in the case of high pressure or low temperature. In these cases, a
generalized compressibility chart or an alternative equation of state better suited
to the problem must be utilized to produce accurate results.

A related situation occurs in hypersonic aerodynamics, where dissociation causes an

increase in the �notional� molar volume, because a mole of oxygen, as O2, becomes 2
moles of monatomic oxygen and N2 similarly dissociates to 2N. Since this occurs
dynamically as air flows over the aerospace object, it is convenient to alter Z,
defined for an initial 30 gram mole of air, rather than track the varying mean
molecular weight, millisecond by millisecond. This pressure dependent transition
occurs for atmospheric oxygen in the 2500 K to 4000 K temperature range, and in the
5000 K to 10,000 K range for nitrogen.[3]

In transition regions, where this pressure dependent dissociation is incomplete,

both beta (the volume/pressure differential ratio) and the differential, constant
pressure heat capacity greatly increases.

For moderate pressures, above 10,000 K the gas further dissociates into free
electrons and ions. Z for the resulting plasma can similarly be computed for a mole
of initial air, producing values between 2 and 4 for partially or singly ionized
gas. Each dissociation absorbs a great deal of energy in a reversible process and
this greatly reduces the thermodynamic temperature of hypersonic gas decelerated
near the aerospace object. Ions or free radicals transported to the object surface
by diffusion may release this extra (non-thermal) energy if the surface catalyzes
the slower recombination process.

The isothermal compressibility is related to the isentropic (or adiabatic)

compressibility by the relation,