entropy

[ en-truh-pee ]

noun

1. Thermodynamics.
   1. (on a macroscopic scale) a function of thermodynamic variables, as temperature, pressure, or composition, and differing from energy in that energy is the ability to do work and entropy is a measure of how much energy is not available. The less work that is produced, the greater the entropy, so when a closed system is void of energy, the result is maximum entropy.
   2. (in statistical mechanics) a measure of the randomness of the microscopic constituents of a thermodynamic system. : S
2. (in data transmission and information theory) a measure of the loss of information in a transmitted signal or message.
3. (in cosmology) a hypothetical tendency for the universe to attain a state of maximum homogeneity in which all matter is at a uniform temperature heat death.
4. a state of disorder, or a tendency toward such a state; chaos.
5. a doctrine of inevitable social decline and degeneration.

entropy

/ ˈɛntrəpɪ /

noun

1. a thermodynamic quantity that changes in a reversible process by an amount equal to the heat absorbed or emitted divided by the thermodynamic temperature. It is measured in joules per kelvin S See also law of thermodynamics
2. a statistical measure of the disorder of a closed system expressed by S = k log P + c where P is the probability that a particular state of the system exists, k is the Boltzmann constant, and c is another constant
3. lack of pattern or organization; disorder
4. a measure of the efficiency of a system, such as a code or language, in transmitting information

entropy

/ ĕn′trə-pē /

1. A measure of the amount of energy in a physical system not available to do work. As a physical system becomes more disordered, and its energy becomes more evenly distributed, that energy becomes less able to do work. For example, a car rolling along a road has kinetic energy that could do work (by carrying or colliding with something, for example); as friction slows it down and its energy is distributed to its surroundings as heat, it loses this ability. The amount of entropy is often thought of as the amount of disorder in a system.
2. See also heat death

entropy

1. A measure of the disorder of any system, or of the unavailability of its heat energy for work. One way of stating the second law of thermodynamics — the principle that heat will not flow from a cold to a hot object spontaneously — is to say that the entropy of an isolated system can, at best, remain the same and will increase for most systems. Thus, the overall disorder of an isolated system must increase.

Notes

Entropy is often used loosely to refer to the breakdown or disorganization of any system: “The committee meeting did nothing but increase the entropy.”

In the nineteenth century, a popular scientific notion suggested that entropy was gradually increasing, and therefore the universe was running down and eventually all motion would cease. When people realized that this would not happen for billions of years, if it happened at all, concern about this notion generally disappeared.

Other Words From

• en·tro·pic [en-, troh, -pik, -, trop, -ik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of entropy¹

First recorded in 1865; from German Entropie; from en- ² + trop(o)- + -y ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of entropy¹

C19: from en- ² + -trope

Example Sentences

According to the study, "fluctuations in density, energy and entropy in water are regulated by these quantum interactions, with effects ranging from the nanometre to the macroscopic scale," says researcher Luis E. Coronas.

From Science Daily

“In some sense, it feels better to believe that there’s a secret society controlling everything than believing that entropy and chaos rule.”

From Los Angeles Times

The more he fumbled for answers, the more overwhelmed he became by entropy and uncertainty.

From Los Angeles Times

The amount of entropy was measured by a second LLM that focused on the meaning and nuance of the generated responses, rather than just the words used.

From Science Magazine

"There is only the perpetuation, however flawed and feeble you might perceive it, of our fragile 249-year-old experiment or the entropy that will engulf and destroy us if we take the other route," he continued.

From Salon

More About Entropy

What is entropy?

Entropy is a measure of the amount of energy that is unavailable to do work in a closed system.

In science, entropy is used to determine the amount of disorder in a closed system. We have a closed system if no energy from an outside source can enter the system.

For example, an ice cube is orderly because all of its energy (heat) is tightly packed together. As the ice melts, its energy spreads out, creating disorder. The ice cube’s entropy is increasing as the ice melts into the more disorderly state of a liquid (in this case, water).

In everyday use, entropy is used more broadly to refer to a lack of pattern or an increasing disorder, as in The coach’s disorganization spread throughout the team, creating some serious entropy at soccer practice.

Example: My clean room quickly fell into entropy after my younger brother and sister had a chaotic pillow fight in it.

Where does entropy come from?

The first records of entropy come from around 1865. It comes from the German entropie, which combines the prefix en-, meaning “within or in,” and the combining form -trope, meaning “one turned toward.”

Entropy is a measure of an increasingly complex situation that is happening within a system. Unless you study thermodynamics, you are most likely to notice an increase of entropy by what happens because of it, such as a tire deflating or ice cream melting.

You’re more likely to come across the broader, unscientific use of entropy as a synonym for “increased disorder” or “a collapse.”

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to entropy?

• entropic (adjective)
• entropically (adverb)

What are some synonyms for entropy?

• decay
• deterioration
• collapse
• decline
• worsening

What are some words that share a root or word element with entropy? 

• energy
• enthusiasm
• heliotrope

What are some words that often get used in discussing entropy?

• energy
• work
• heat
• pressure
• increase
• thermodynamics

How is entropy used in real life?

Although entropy has a narrow scientific meaning, its broader meaning is more commonly used.

"Boredom is a sign of a bigger problem than just idleness; it's a lack of interests and passions." And it's this state of entropy that wastes your time and drives you deeper into your worst state.

— Мемолог (@jilka_dyrka) July 31, 2020

Deep Computer Vision for the Detection of Tantalum and Niobium Fragments in High Entropy Alloys by Akshansh Mishra via @Towards_AI → https://t.co/wxi6kFNlNV #MachineLearning #ML #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #DataScience #DeepLearning #Technology #Programming #news #research …

— Machine Learning Memoirs (@mlmemoirs) August 1, 2020

@charlania Yes – they certainly add to the entropy. (A much nicer way to describe mess!)

— Wellcome (@wellcometrust) April 18, 2013

Try using entropy!

In everyday speech, which of the following words is a synonym of entropy?

A. happiness
B. decline
C. organization
D. improvement