Thermodynamic entropy

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Thermodynamic entropy is a measure of how organized or disorganized energy is in a system of atoms or molecules. It is measured in Joules of energy per degree Kelvin. Entropy is an important part of the second law of thermodynamics.

Imagine that a group of molecules has ten units of energy. If the energy in those molecules is perfectly organized, then the molecules can do ten units of work. However, if the energy were to become less organized (this is, the entropy were to increase), the molecules might only be able to do six units of work, even though they still have ten units of energy in them.