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Related Concept Videos

Third Law of Thermodynamics02:38

Third Law of Thermodynamics

A pure, perfectly crystalline solid possessing no kinetic energy (that is, at a temperature of absolute zero, 0 K) may be described by a single microstate, as its purity, perfect crystallinity,and complete lack of motion means there is but one possible location for each identical atom or molecule comprising the crystal (W = 1). According to the Boltzmann equation, the entropy of this system is zero.
Entropy02:39

Entropy

Salt particles that have dissolved in water never spontaneously come back together in solution to reform solid particles. Moreover, a gas that has expanded in a vacuum remains dispersed and never spontaneously reassembles. The unidirectional nature of these phenomena is the result of a thermodynamic state function called entropy (S). Entropy is the measure of the extent to which the energy is dispersed throughout a system, or in other words, it is proportional to the degree of disorder of a...
Entropy01:18

Entropy

The first law of thermodynamics is quantitatively formulated via an equation relating the internal energy of a system, the heat exchanged by it, and the work done on it. A quantitative formulation of the second law of thermodynamics leads to defining a state function, the entropy.
When an ideal gas expands isothermally, the disorder in the gas increases. From the molecular perspective, the gas molecules have more volume to move around in.
Consider an infinitesimal step in the expansion, which...
Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics01:20

Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

The second law of thermodynamics can be stated quantitatively using the concept of entropy. Entropy is the measure of disorder of the system.
The relation  between entropy and disorder can be illustrated with the example of the phase change of ice to water. In ice, the molecules are located at specific sites giving a solid state, whereas, in a liquid form, these molecules are much freer to move. The molecular arrangement has therefore become more randomized. Although the change in average...
Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics01:26

Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

Consider an isolated system in which a hot object is placed in contact with a cold one. This is an irreversible process that eventually leads both objects to reach the same equilibrium temperature. It is crucial to note that the constituents of any substance exhibit increased disorder at higher temperatures. As a cold substance absorbs heat, its constituents become more disordered. The energy transfer from a hotter object to a cooler one increases the system's disorder or randomness. This...
Absolute Entropies and the Third Law of Thermodynamics01:23

Absolute Entropies and the Third Law of Thermodynamics

Ludwig Edward Boltzmann developed a definition for entropy, which stated that absolute entropy is proportional to the natural logarithm of the number of possible combinations of particles. Entropy stands alone among state functions as the only one whose absolute values can be determined.Consider a gas sample confined to a container. As the container expands, the energy levels of gas molecules become more closely spaced. This increases the number of available energy states, thereby increasing...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 28, 2026

An Analog Macroscopic Technique for Studying Molecular Hydrodynamic Processes in Dense Gases and Liquids
11:03

An Analog Macroscopic Technique for Studying Molecular Hydrodynamic Processes in Dense Gases and Liquids

Published on: December 4, 2017

Entropy of jammed matter.

Christopher Briscoe1, Chaoming Song, Ping Wang

  • 1Levich Institute and Physics Department, City College of New York, New York, New York 10031, USA.

Physical Review Letters
|November 13, 2008
PubMed
Summary

We quantify randomness in frictional sphere packings. Random loose packings are more disordered than random close packings, providing clear definitions for these states.

Area of Science:

  • Physics
  • Materials Science
  • Statistical Mechanics

Background:

  • Disordered packings of spheres are fundamental in granular materials and statistical physics.
  • Understanding the nature of randomness and entropy in these systems is crucial for predicting their macroscopic behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the nature of randomness in disordered packings of frictional spheres.
  • To quantitatively determine the entropy of 3D packings and relate it to macroscopic properties.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized the force and volume ensemble of jammed matter.
  • Employed numerical simulations, including volume fluctuation analysis and graph theoretical methods.
  • Derived equations of state linking entropy, volume fraction, and compactivity.

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Bulk and Thin Film Synthesis of Compositionally Variant Entropy-stabilized Oxides
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Bulk and Thin Film Synthesis of Compositionally Variant Entropy-stabilized Oxides

Published on: May 29, 2018

Unraveling Entropic Rate Acceleration Induced by Solvent Dynamics in Membrane Enzymes
09:42

Unraveling Entropic Rate Acceleration Induced by Solvent Dynamics in Membrane Enzymes

Published on: January 16, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 28, 2026

An Analog Macroscopic Technique for Studying Molecular Hydrodynamic Processes in Dense Gases and Liquids
11:03

An Analog Macroscopic Technique for Studying Molecular Hydrodynamic Processes in Dense Gases and Liquids

Published on: December 4, 2017

Bulk and Thin Film Synthesis of Compositionally Variant Entropy-stabilized Oxides
09:41

Bulk and Thin Film Synthesis of Compositionally Variant Entropy-stabilized Oxides

Published on: May 29, 2018

Unraveling Entropic Rate Acceleration Induced by Solvent Dynamics in Membrane Enzymes
09:42

Unraveling Entropic Rate Acceleration Induced by Solvent Dynamics in Membrane Enzymes

Published on: January 16, 2016

Main Results:

  • Obtained equations of state for jammed matter, relating entropy, volume fraction, and compactivity.
  • Found that mesoscopic entropy vanishes at random close packing.
  • Demonstrated that microscopic states contribute to a finite entropy in jammed systems.

Conclusions:

  • Random loose packings exhibit greater disorder than random close packings.
  • The study provides an unambiguous interpretation of random loose packing and random close packing limits.
  • Entropy calculations offer a clear measure of disorder in jammed granular systems.