entropy Hear it!

entropy Definition

en·tropy (en′trə pē)

noun

  1. a thermodynamic measure of the amount of energy unavailable for useful work in a system undergoing change
  2. a measure of the degree of disorder in a substance or a system: entropy always increases and available energy diminishes in a closed system, as the universe
  3. in information theory, a measure of the information content of a message evaluated as to its uncertainty
  4. a process of degeneration marked variously by increasing degrees of uncertainty, disorder, fragmentation, chaos, etc.; specif., such a process regarded as the inevitable, terminal stage in the life of a social system or structure

Etymology: Ger entropie, arbitrary use (by R. J. E. Clausius, 1822-88, Ger physicist) of Gr entropē, a turning toward, as if < Ger en(ergie), energy + Gr tropē, a turning: see trope

entropy Related Forms

en·trop′ic (-träp′ik) adjective

entropy (S) Telecom Definition

  1. In physics, and particularly in the area of thermodynamics, a measure of the amount of energy unavailable to do work in a closed system.
  2. The degradation of the matter and energy in the universe to the point of inert uniformity.The dispersal of energy.
  3. In information theory, a measure of the content of a message evaluated with respect to its probability of occurrence, or uncertainty of occurrence, depending on your perspective.
  4. In communications, a measure of the randomness of signal noise occurring in transmission.

entropy Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • hydration: Small ions are strongly hydrated, with small or negative entropies of hydration, creating local order and higher local density.
  • activation: Outline how you would obtain the entropy of activation from these data.
  • universe: What is the change in entropy of the universe?
  • hole: An example of its success is in determining the entropy of a black hole.

Converse of object

  • calculate: Calculating entropy is easy enough with a calculator provided it has an ln button.
  • increase: The activity of an organic process is the rate at which it increases the thermodynamic entropy of the universe.
  • reduce: The small boy who built the sandcastle reduced the entropy in a localized area by doing work.
  • call: Things tend to move toward disorder I think its called entropy or something that's Isaac's law.

Adjective modifier

  • configurational: D S itself can be separated into 2 components: Thermal entropy, Configurational entropy.
  • molar: It is shown that thermal entropy can be given by: ( 3 ) where D S v is the molar thermal entropy.
  • topological: If the braid formed by the rods has positive topological entropy, then material lines must grow exponentially, ensuring chaos.
  • thermodynamic: The activity of an organic process is the rate at which it increases the thermodynamic entropy of the universe.
  • gravitational: I showed how gravitational entropy can be defined in general.
  • maximum: Combining probabilistic logic programming with the power of maximum entropy.

Modifies a noun

  • bottleneck: At higher energies, where there is no entropy bottleneck, this time scale separation disappears altogether.
  • decrease: If it becomes more ordered, its entropy decreases.
  • change: What is the overall entropy change for the total process?
  • maximum: For this PES, equilibration occurs initially at large values of l and proceeds away from the Landau entropy maximum.
  • production: Does the living system tend toward the minimum of entropy production and maximum efficiency?
  • principle: Gibbs potential - minimum property derived from entropy increase principle.

Browse dictionary entries near entropy

  1. ‹ entresol
  2. ‹ entrepreneur
  3. ‹ entrepôt
  4. ‹ entrenched
  5. ‹ entrench
  6. ‹ entremets
  7. ‹ entree
  8. ‹ entrechat
  9. ‹ entrecôte
  10. ‹ entreaty
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  5. entwine ›
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  7. enucleate ›
  8. ENUM ›
  9. enumerate ›
  10. enumerated power ›