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Related Concept Videos

Entropy02:39

Entropy

25.7K
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...
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Entropy01:18

Entropy

2.7K
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...
2.7K
Third Law of Thermodynamics02:38

Third Law of Thermodynamics

16.8K
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.
16.8K
Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics01:20

Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

3.2K
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...
3.2K
Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics01:26

Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

361
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...
361
Second Law of Thermodynamics02:49

Second Law of Thermodynamics

21.5K
In the quest to identify a property that may reliably predict the spontaneity of a process, a promising candidate has been identified: entropy. Processes that involve an increase in entropy of the system (ΔS > 0) are very often spontaneous; however, examples to the contrary are plentiful. By expanding consideration of entropy changes to include the surroundings, a significant conclusion regarding the relation between this property and spontaneity may be reached. In thermodynamic...
21.5K

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 21, 2026

An Analog Macroscopic Technique for Studying Molecular Hydrodynamic Processes in Dense Gases and Liquids
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Optimizing entropy bounds for macroscopic systems.

Jacob D Bekenstein1

  • 1Racah Institute of Physics, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.

Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
|October 30, 2014
PubMed
Summary

Researchers derived a maximum entropy-to-energy ratio from classical thermodynamics, independent of black hole physics. This finding provides a tighter, model-independent upper bound for physical systems.

Area of Science:

  • Thermodynamics
  • Statistical Mechanics
  • Quantum Dynamics

Background:

  • The universal bound on specific entropy (entropy-to-energy ratio) was previously inferred from black hole thermodynamics.
  • Understanding entropy limits is crucial for various physical systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To derive a universal maximum for the entropy-to-energy ratio (S/E) using only classical thermodynamics.
  • To establish a model-independent upper bound for this maximum ratio.
  • To demonstrate the applicability of the derived bound with examples.

Main Methods:

  • Application of classical thermodynamics principles for systems at fixed volume or pressure.
  • Utilizing a simple argument from quantum dynamics to establish an upper bound.
  • Analysis of specific entropy (S/E) and its maximum value (S/E)(max).

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Unraveling Entropic Rate Acceleration Induced by Solvent Dynamics in Membrane Enzymes
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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

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Last Updated: Apr 21, 2026

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

  • A unique maximum value for the entropy-to-energy ratio, (S/E)(max), was determined for systems at fixed volume or pressure using classical thermodynamics.
  • A model-independent upper bound for (S/E)(max) was established, which is generally tighter than the universal bound.
  • The findings were illustrated with two distinct examples.

Conclusions:

  • The entropy-to-energy ratio has a fundamental thermodynamic limit derivable from classical principles.
  • Quantum dynamics provides a method to establish a more stringent, model-independent upper bound for this ratio.
  • This work offers a new perspective on entropy bounds beyond black hole thermodynamics.