Skip to main content

What is entropy? - Jeff Phillips

4,496,836 Views

9,856 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

There’s a concept that’s crucial to chemistry and physics. It helps explain why physical processes go one way and not the other: why ice melts, why cream spreads in coffee, why air leaks out of a punctured tire. It’s entropy, and it’s notoriously difficult to wrap our heads around. Jeff Phillips gives a crash course on entropy.

A system must evolve toward an energy configuration where the energy is maximally spread out.

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Jeff Phillips
  • Director Iuri Araujo, Guilherme Araujo
  • Script Editor Eleanor Nelsen
  • Animator Iuri Araujo, Guilherme Araujo
  • Compositor Andre Luiz Machado
  • Composer Andre Luiz Machado
  • Associate Producer Jessica Ruby
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Narrator Addison Anderson

More from Before and After Einstein