entropy: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Photos and Videos

Close-up view of a cutaway automobile engine showing metal pistons moving within their cylinders, with visible valves and springs above.

entropy and the arrow of time

See All Videos and Images →

Topics

second law of thermodynamics system chaos theory work energy adiabatic process matter radiation radioactivity relativity cluster isomerism phase temperature elasticity polarity heat

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Key People

default image

Cédric Villani

French mathematician