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Webster 1913 Edition
Entropy
En′tro-py
,Noun.
[Gr. [GREEK] a turning in; [GREEK] in + [GREEK] a turn, fr. [GREEK] to turn.]
(Thermodynamics)
A certain property of a body, expressed as a measurable quantity, such that when there is no communication of heat the quantity remains constant, but when heat enters or leaves the body the quantity increases or diminishes. If a small amount, h, of heat enters the body when its temperature is t in the thermodynamic scale the entropy of the body is increased by h ÷ t. The entropy is regarded as measured from some standard temperature and pressure. Sometimes called the
thermodynamic function
. The
entropy
of the universe tends towards a maximum. Clausius.