entropy - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'entropy' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Entropy

[ n.]

- A certain property of a body, expressed as a measurable quantity, such that when there is no communication of heat the quantity remains constant, but when heat enters or leaves the body the quantity increases or diminishes. If a small amount, h, of heat enters the body when its temperature is t in the thermodynamic scale the entropy of the body is increased by h / t. The entropy is regarded as measured from some standard temperature and pressure. Sometimes called the thermodynamic function.

Meaning of 'entropy' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . entropy

[ n]

Meaning (1):
- (thermodynamics) a thermodynamic quantity representing the amount of energy in a system that is no longer available for doing mechanical work

Example in sentence:

entropy increases as matter and energy in the universe degrade to an ultimate state of inert uniformity

Meaning (2):
- (communication theory) a numerical measure of the uncertainty of an outcome

Example in sentence:

the signal contained thousands of bits of information

Nearby Words:

ent- entablature entablement entackle entad entail entailed entailing entailment ental

See 'entropy' also in:

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Entropy
Entropy means gradual decline into disorder. The entropy law, or second law of thermodynamics, states that energy can only be transformed in

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