Problem understanding entropy (two different definitions?)

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter James Brown
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Definitions Entropy
Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
2 replies · 1K views
James Brown
Messages
21
Reaction score
12
In the definition of entropy, there are two. One is about the degree of randomness and one is about energy that is not available to do work. What is the relationship between them?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Reply
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Demystifier and vanhees71
James Brown said:
In the definition of entropy, there are two. One is about the degree of randomness and one is about energy that is not available to do work. What is the relationship between them?
The former is statistical entropy and the latter is thermodynamic entropy. Statistical entropy is more general, while thermodynamic entropy is only defined for systems close to thermodynamic equilibrium. It can be shown (see the box in the link in the post above) that statistical entropy for systems close to thermodynamic equilibrium can be well approximated by thermodynamic entropy.