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Related Concept Videos

Entropy02:39

Entropy

36.7K
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

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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...
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Second Law of Thermodynamics02:49

Second Law of Thermodynamics

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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 models, the...
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Second Law of Thermodynamics00:53

Second Law of Thermodynamics

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The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that entropy, or the amount of disorder in a system, increases each time energy is transferred or transformed. Each energy transfer results in a certain amount of energy that is lost—usually in the form of heat—that increases the disorder of the surroundings. This can also be demonstrated in a classic food web. Herbivores harvest chemical energy from plants and release heat and carbon dioxide into the environment. Carnivores harvest the...
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The Second Law of Thermodynamics01:14

The Second Law of Thermodynamics

6.9K
In the quest to identify a property that may reliably predict the spontaneity of a process, a promising candidate has been identified: entropy. Scientists refer to the measure of randomness or disorder within a system as entropy. High entropy means high disorder and low energy. To better understand entropy, think of a student’s bedroom. If no energy or work were put into it, the room would quickly become messy. It would exist in a very disordered state, one of high entropy. Energy must be...
6.9K
Entropy Change in Reversible Processes01:10

Entropy Change in Reversible Processes

3.3K
In the Carnot engine, which achieves the maximum efficiency between two reservoirs of fixed temperatures, the total change in entropy is zero. The observation can be generalized by considering any reversible cyclic process consisting of many Carnot cycles. Thus, it can be stated that the total entropy change of any ideal reversible cycle is zero.
The statement can be further generalized to prove that entropy is a state function. Take a cyclic process between any two points on a p-V diagram.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 19, 2026

An Analog Macroscopic Technique for Studying Molecular Hydrodynamic Processes in Dense Gases and Liquids
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Entropy production selects nonequilibrium states in multistable systems.

Robert G Endres1,2

  • 1Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College, London, SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom. r.endres@imperial.ac.uk.

Scientific Reports
|November 2, 2017
PubMed
Summary

The maximum entropy production principle explains life's emergence by favoring steady states with higher entropy production. This principle was validated in a simple chemical system and generalized to complex multistable systems.

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Area of Science:

  • Thermodynamics
  • Chemical Systems
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Far-from-equilibrium thermodynamics is crucial for understanding life's origins.
  • The maximum entropy production principle is a leading theory but lacks definitive proof.
  • Challenges include complex physics and competing theories like minimum entropy production.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To demonstrate the validity of the maximum entropy production principle.
  • To generalize the principle to multistable stochastic systems.
  • To explore the role of entropy production in the stability of nonequilibrium steady states.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a simple, analytically solvable, one-dimensional bistable chemical system.
  • Employed the stochastic least-action principle to derive entropy production.
  • Analyzed the stability of nonequilibrium steady states in multistable systems.

Main Results:

  • Successfully demonstrated the maximum entropy production principle in a model system.
  • Derived entropy production and its role in steady-state stability using stochastic least-action.
  • Showed that higher entropy production states are favored in multistable systems.

Conclusions:

  • The maximum entropy production principle is validated and applicable to complex systems.
  • Entropy production plays a key role in favoring stable nonequilibrium states.
  • Findings have implications for the evolution of biological, physical, and geological systems.