How to think of entropy?

[gabbymaraziti]

Prof. Lavelle has said multiple times not to think of entropy as disorder. If we don't think of entropy as disorder, how should we think of it?

[Sebastian Lee 1L]

Entropy can be thought of as the possible number of positions or orientations a molecule can occupy (these are called microstates). Basically, if there is more space to occupy, more possible configurations, more thermal movement, etc. then there is more entropy. (Honestly you can still think of it as disorder if it makes it easier).

[Kassidy Ford 1I]

^^ While what they said is true, positional entropy is only one kind of entropy. For example there is also entropy when there is a volume, pressure, and temperature change in a system. There is nothing wrong with thinking of it as disorder, I think lavelle just doesn't want us to think that way because it's not very scientifically based