What generally happens to the temperature of gases as they move through the turbine?

As gases pass through the turbine, they undergo a process characterized by a decrease in temperature. This is primarily due to the conversion of thermal energy into mechanical energy. As the expanding gases move through the turbine blades, they exert a force that drives the turbine. During this process, the kinetic energy of the gases increases, resulting in a reduction in their thermal energy, which translates to a decrease in temperature.

In gas turbine operation, after combustion occurs, the high-temperature gases enter the turbine. As they expand and do work on the turbine blades, the molecules lose energy, which subsequently lowers their temperature. This principle is rooted in the laws of thermodynamics, particularly the conservation of energy, where energy cannot be created or destroyed but can be transferred and transformed.

The other outcomes mentioned, such as maintaining a constant temperature or fluctuating temperatures, do not accurately represent the behavior of gases in this context. Maintaining a constant temperature during expansion would suggest no work is being done or energy being converted, which contradicts the functioning of a gas turbine. Fluctuating temperatures might imply inconsistent gas behaviors that do not typically occur in the controlled operation of a gas turbine system.