Entropy...What exactly is it?

Question

I understand energy conservation/transfer etc but I'm not sure I understand the concept of Entropy.. Can someone explain in laymens terms?

Answer 1

It's basically saying that every reaction that occurs in the universe is one that leads it closer to a state of disorder/chaos. The opposite of it would be a state of order and stability. Reactions that give off heat add to entropy of the universe because heat is a form of energy that cannot be recycled, so it's wasted. Things that are more ordered have lower entropy, so Solids

Answer 2

As mentioned, entropy is a way to quantify the disorder of a system, meaning the level of ambiguity of its precise quantum state. The formal definition of entropy is the natural log of the number of quantum states consistent with a system's macroscopic description. For example, if you have a system of 3 atoms, each of which is in either a state of energy E or energy 0, and the macroscopic description states that the total energy is 2E, then the entropy is ln(3), since there are 3 ways for that to occur.

In Quantum Mechanics, the number of such consistent states is finite. This is, of course, required for the definition of entropy to be meaningful. The reason that it is useful is that fundamental thermodynamic properties, such as temperature, can be defined in terms of it which, prior to QM, where purely phenomenological.

Answer 3

Entropy is a measurement of disorder.

As entropy always spontaneously increases, this means that disorder spontaneously increases. This is true . If you put the pages of a book on the table they will not by themself recontitute the book.

In Physics entropy is caculated by the formula dS = dQ/T

you know that thermal heat can not be completely transformed in mechanical work. Why? Thermal heat is a non organized energy, since the molecules move in any direction. Mechanical work is organized energy since all molecules moves in the same direction. In oder to transform het energy in work, you must lower the entropy , increase the order

I hope it helps

Answer 4

well nice question.entropy is the standard of disorderness.the you will see the glass falling from a table and breaking but you will not see the glass pieces recollcting themself and flying back the table and refilled with flown water, why??????
becoz the time ,the fourth dimension of the univers,is always moving in the forward direction, if it have a reverse direction, then the re-arrangment of the broken and disordered objects was possible,so the dis orderness and roughness produced in things because of time and use is called"entropy"
what entropy is actually ,still a big qhestion for physicist.some scientinsts like stephen hawking agree that that the entropy is not always destructive,and not only disorderness but also constructive, this means that the 4th dimension "time" and its farward motion is not producing disorderness only.but also it is producing order and systametic constrction.
for details see "a bried hisory of time" by stephen hawking and
the" theory of universe "by stephen hawking

Answer 5

Entropy is increasing is the posh way of saying that everything is falling to bits and eventually the Universe will decay into a homogenous mess of pieces at the same temperature.

Answer 6

The group Moxy Fruvous made a song about entropy.
Here are the lyrics:
Lyrics by Jack Micay

(Mike in a deep voice)
Galileo, Netwon, Watt, they were genuises all.
Without them we'd be freezing in the dark at the mall.
James Joule found total energy remains the same
(Murray)
No matter what it's form.
(Mike)
That's why it carries his name.

(Jian)
A chemical, electrical, potential and heat,
Radiant, kinetic, ooh the list is incomplete.
They're always changing back and forth
It's really quite a blur
(Murray)
oh, how could he?
(Jian)
I've forgotten nuclear!

(All)
Ride a barrel down the falls
Then cook spaghetti with meatballs.
Really make your friends amazed.
Nuke it with some gamma rays.
Fly to Venus in a rocket.
Put your finger in a socket.
You may suffer from exhaust,
But none of that energy is ever really lost.

(Murray)
Then why can't we make a clean machine that moves perpetually?
Cause there's another law with which all energy must agree.
Whenever it changes form, it loses quality

(Dave)
in other words...

(Murray)
Down/Damn that rising entropy!

(Dave)
It's entropy you see that turns finess into mess
A palace to a pig-stye why it's simply scandalous!
Energy once neat degenerates into waste heat (We must repeat.)
Because of entropy.


From the Liner:
1993- A lot more exciting than it's sister song, Inertia. The band
is very
committed to heightening awareness around this issue.


(Recorded by Doug
McCelement, March '93
at Comfort SOund, Toronto.)

Answer 7

Is the tendency of any system to the chaos, or dispersed energy (mathematical tendency to disorder)
Contrary to Enthalpy, which is the equilibrium of a system of reactants or molecules....
For example, our body lives in a mild state of entropy, and reaches entalpý (perfect equilibrium) with death

Answer 8

Entrophy is the concept that any system, no matter how large (i.e. the universe) or how small (i.e. a sandcastle) has a natural tendency to decay into a state of disorder.

Answer 9

Tendency to degenerate. The simple answer.

Answer 10

nerd alert!