Chemistry / Unit 11 Chem 2074 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Entropy Rises with Accessible Microstates
Captions available
The idea
Microstate count predicts a spontaneous entropy change's direction: the most probable outcome has the most microstates.
In practice
Four gas particles in two flasks split two-and-two far more often than crowding into one, since more microstates match the even split.
Where people slip
An even split is only the most probable outcome, not a guarantee — with few particles, uneven splits still occur.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Something wrong in this lesson? Flag it · Sources for Chemistry