Thermodynamic entropy

• If we add heat ?Q reversibly to a system at fixed temperature T, the increase in entropy of the system is ?S = ?Q/T

• S is a measure of degrees of freedom
  • The probability of a configuration
    • The probability of a point in phase space
  • In a reversible system, the total entropy is constant
  • In an irreversible system, the total entropy always increases

Previous slide

Next slide

Back to first slide

View graphic version