entropy
/'entrəpi/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- (Thermodynamics): A thermodynamic quantity representing the amount of energy in a system that is no longer available for doing mechanical work. It is a measure of the disorder or randomness in a system.
- (Information Theory): A numerical measure of the uncertainty or randomness associated with a set of possible outcomes or a message.
Usage Examples
- Thermodynamics:
- The second law of thermodynamics states that the total entropy of an isolated system can never decrease over time.
- As the ice melted, the entropy of the system increased.
- Information Theory:
- The encryption algorithm relies on high entropy to ensure security.
- A compressed file has lower entropy than the original data.
Advanced Usage
- "Entropy of mixing": The increase in entropy when two different substances mix.
- The entropy of mixing explains why gases spontaneously diffuse into each other.
- "Maximum entropy": A state of greatest disorder or a principle used in statistics and information theory to find the least biased distribution.
- The maximum entropy principle is used to make predictions when information is incomplete.
Variants and Related Words
- Thermodynamic entropy (n): The classical physics concept related to energy dispersal and disorder.
- Thermodynamic entropy is central to understanding heat engines.
- Information entropy (n): The concept from information theory quantifying uncertainty.
- Claude Shannon developed the mathematical theory of information entropy.
- Entropic (adj): Relating to or characterized by entropy.
- The process is driven by entropic forces.
Synonyms
- Disorder: Lack of order or predictability (in thermodynamics).
- Randomness: The quality of lacking a pattern or predictability (in information theory).
Related Phrases
- Entropy generation (n phr): The production of entropy within a system, often associated with irreversible processes.
- Friction leads to entropy generation.
- Entropy change (n phr): The difference in entropy between two states of a system.
- Calculating the entropy change is essential for this thermodynamic cycle.
Related Idioms
- "Heat death of the universe": A theoretical fate of the universe linked to the concept of maximum entropy, where no energy is available for work.
- Some cosmologists discuss the heat death of the universe as the ultimate triumph of entropy.
Noun
- (thermodynamics) a thermodynamic quantity representing the amount of energy in a system that is no longer available for doing mechanical work
- entropy increases as matter and energy in the universe degrade to an ultimate state of inert uniformity
- (communication theory) a numerical measure of the uncertainty of an outcome
- the signal contained thousands of bits of information