Question

(a) How is the uncertainty function related to the thermodynamic entropy?

(b) To the statistical entropy?

(c) What is the relationship of the thermodynamic entropy to the "arrow of time" (direction of time)?

Explain each part briefly.

Answer 1

(a) As the thermodynamic entropy increases the uncertainty will increase because of more chaos due to the increased the entropy of the system.

(b) In statistical terms we can say that entropy is directly proportional to the number of microstates of the system, and as the number of microstates increases the uncertainty will also increase as for the same measurement we will have multiple microstates and the increase will lead to more uncertainty.

(c) The arrow of time is defined by the increase in thermodynamic entropy. It is stated that the thermodynamic entropy increases as the time increases, this is the forward arrow of time.