Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Entropy01:18

Entropy

3.7K
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...
3.7K
Entropy02:39

Entropy

36.6K
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...
36.6K
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.
3.3K
Standard Entropy Change for a Reaction03:00

Standard Entropy Change for a Reaction

25.2K
Entropy is a state function, so the standard entropy change for a chemical reaction (ΔS°rxn) can be calculated from the difference in standard entropy between the products and the reactants.
25.2K
Reversible and Irreversible Processes01:14

Reversible and Irreversible Processes

5.9K
The thermodynamic processes can be classified into reversible and irreversible processes. The processes that can be restored to their initial state are called reversible processes. It is only possible if the process is in quasi-static equilibrium, i.e., it takes place in infinitesimally small steps, and the system remains at equilibrium However, these are ideal processes and do not occur naturally. An ideal system undergoing a reversible process is always in thermodynamic equilibrium within...
5.9K
Second Law of Thermodynamics02:49

Second Law of Thermodynamics

27.2K
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...
27.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Quasi-equilibrium translocation of short polymers through thin nanopores: Implications from forward flux sampling simulations.

The Journal of chemical physics·2026
Same author

Thermal Stability of IgG4 Monoclonal Antibodies: Ambiguous Roles of Cosolutes, Excipients, and Salts in Conformational and Colloidal States.

Molecular pharmaceutics·2026
Same author

Influence of Co-Solutes and Solvents on Diffusion Interaction Parameters in Multicomponent Solutions: New Insights through the Kirkwood-Buff Theory.

The journal of physical chemistry. B·2025
Same author

Correction: Principles of Molecular Evolution: Concepts from Non-equilibrium Thermodynamics for the Multilevel Theory of Learning.

Journal of molecular evolution·2025
Same author

Multidomain Protein-Urea Interactions: Differences in Binding Behavior Lead to Different Destabilization Tendencies for Monoclonal Antibodies.

The journal of physical chemistry. B·2024
Same author

Physics-informed neural networks for biopharmaceutical cultivation processes: Consideration of varying process parameter settings.

Biotechnology and bioengineering·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 18, 2026

Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat
06:03

Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat

Published on: September 20, 2016

15.3K

Evolutionary change and adaptation as non-equilibrium thermodynamic processes.

Jens Smiatek1

  • 1Institute for Computational Physics, University of Stuttgart, Allmandring 3, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany.

Bio Systems
|February 16, 2026
PubMed
Summary

This study introduces a new thermodynamic framework for evolution, defining evolutionary forces and fluxes. It reveals how entropy production links mutation, trait variation, and fitness changes in populations.

Keywords:
Biological adaptationEvolutionEvolutionary forces and fluxesMinimum entropy productionNon-equilibrium thermodynamics

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Understanding Microbe Adaptation Using Innovative Techniques for Exploring Thermophilic Evolution
08:11

Author Spotlight: Understanding Microbe Adaptation Using Innovative Techniques for Exploring Thermophilic Evolution

Published on: June 14, 2024

1.5K
Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli
15:00

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli

Published on: August 18, 2023

4.4K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 18, 2026

Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat
06:03

Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat

Published on: September 20, 2016

15.3K
Author Spotlight: Understanding Microbe Adaptation Using Innovative Techniques for Exploring Thermophilic Evolution
08:11

Author Spotlight: Understanding Microbe Adaptation Using Innovative Techniques for Exploring Thermophilic Evolution

Published on: June 14, 2024

1.5K
Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli
15:00

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli

Published on: August 18, 2023

4.4K

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Non-equilibrium thermodynamics
  • Theoretical biology

Background:

  • Evolutionary adaptation is a cornerstone of biology.
  • Understanding the quantitative mechanisms driving adaptation remains a challenge.
  • Existing models often lack a unified thermodynamic perspective.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To recast evolutionary change and adaptation within a phenomenological non-equilibrium thermodynamics framework.
  • To define evolutionary forces and their conjugate fluxes.
  • To identify the key drivers of entropy production in evolutionary processes.

Main Methods:

  • Developed a theoretical framework based on non-equilibrium thermodynamics.
  • Defined evolutionary forces and conjugate fluxes.
  • Analyzed entropy production in dynamic evolutionary processes within populations.

Main Results:

  • Total entropy production in a population comprises additive fitness, adaptable variable, and mutational fluxes.
  • Identified cross-couplings between mutation, trait variation, and fitness change.
  • The framework captures key biological adaptation mechanisms based on general principles.

Conclusions:

  • A non-equilibrium thermodynamics approach provides novel insights into evolutionary adaptation.
  • Entropy production is a unifying concept linking different evolutionary components.
  • The developed framework offers a generalizable model for studying adaptation across species.