Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that in any natural process, the total entropy (disorder) always increases for an isolated system. This means that systems tend to move towards a state with higher randomness and less usable energy.
Related terms
Entropy Increase: Refers to the increase in disorder or randomness within a system.
Irreversibility: Describes processes that cannot be undone and result in an overall increase in entropy.
Heat Engine Efficiency: A measure of how effectively heat is converted into useful work within a thermodynamic system.