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entropy

1 of 1noun
/ˈɛntɹəpi/
Forms:entropies
1

a thermodynamic measure of the degree of disorder or randomness in a system, denoted by S

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  • When ice melts into water at a higher temperature, the entropy of the system increases.
  • Gas molecules in a container have higher entropy than the same molecules in a more ordered liquid state.
  • The entropy of a gas typically increases with an increase in temperature, reflecting increased molecular motion.
  • Breaking a solid into smaller pieces can increase entropy, as the particles have more freedom of movement.
  • Dissolving a solute in a solvent generally increases the entropy of the system.
Synonyms:
2

a numerical measure of the uncertainty or unpredictability of an outcome or information source

  • The entropy of the message stream was calculated to optimize compression.
  • High entropy in a password indicates greater security.
  • Shannon defined entropy to quantify information content.
  • The system's entropy decreased as redundant signals were removed.
  • Entropy in communication helps engineers design efficient coding schemes.